


Ink's Anatomy

by tiedyeflag



Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Mafia AU, Mob Boss AU, fem reader - Freeform, mild swearing, mob boss bendy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-09
Updated: 2018-12-12
Packaged: 2019-06-24 11:57:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 31,136
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15630222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tiedyeflag/pseuds/tiedyeflag
Summary: You got laid off, went job hunting, took up a sketchy job ad in the newspaper...next thing you knew, you had an interview with the ink demon. And got the job as a receptionist at a dark cabaret run by the same demon.And he grows to like you.





	1. Chapter 1

In your wildest dreams, you never expected yourself to land a gig at an underground bar run by a demon made of ink.

At least, that was the short explanation. 

You got laid off, went job hunting, took up a sketchy job ad in the newspaper...next thing you knew, you had an interview with the ink demon. And got the job as a receptionist at a dark cabaret. The customers were usually of the dangerous sort, criminals and mob bosses and sketchy characters, but no one could be sketchier than Bendy, despite made entirely of ink. 

He didn’t resemble the dancing darling demon from those old cartoons. He towered above almost everyone, and traded his rubber hose limbs for lean muscle. And he wore more than his tiny bowtie; his usual work attire consisted of a white dress shirt, half tucked into some creased pants, held up by a pair of worn suspenders. If it weren’t for the ink, spaded tail, and horns, he’d resemble a handsome man. Not to say you found your boss ugly, though. If anything, you were fascinated at his existence. Why did he dribble ink everywhere? Was that how he sweat? Did he even have bodily functions under that gelatinous black matter? Did his body need any substance to survive? If not, then why run a shady bar underground when he could be taking over the world?

At least, that’s what you thought. You never bothered asking him, as that would be rude or get yourself killed. You quickly learned Bendy the mob boss possessed a nasty temper. By some will of the gods, the demon never directed his rage towards you. He remained civil around you, if a bit blunt. 

“We found a mess in the bathroom, but Wally Franks is on it,” you told Bendy. He sat at his wide oak desk as you read off your report. “They think it might be drugs, but...I honestly thought it was just flour at first,”

Bendy snorted. “Really, sweetheart? You see a white powder in the bathroom, and the first thing you think of is ‘flour’?”

“I just work here, I don’t do drugs here,”

“Yeah, that’s right. Dealing drugs ain't your job,”

“Heaven forbid,” You smirked. Another one of your peculiar questions popped into your mind, and you always gained confidence reveling in this strange friendship you’ve carved between you and this demon. “Sir, can I ask you a question?”

“Shoot,”

“Before I ask, if it’s insensitive or rude, then you don’t have to answer,”

Bendy looked up. “Whatcha want? Money?”

“No! No, I mean...I was wondering, can you do drugs?”

“...come again?”

“It’s just something I’ve...always wondered. Can your body ingest substances? Like, if you were to do like--like ‘snort some coke’, would you get high?”

Bendy stared at you with those big, black eyes that almost reminded you of how he looked back in the day, back when he was just an old cartoon. Then the corner of his mouth twitched. It kept twitching until he broke into gut wrenching laughter. 

“You--You’re wondering if I--if I can--if I can--pfft!!” He banged his fist against his desk in histeria. 

“I hope that means I’m not fired…?”

“N--Nah, sweetheart, you’re fine, just dandy,” He wiped a tear from his eye. Panting, he said, “You’re the first person with the guts to ask something like that, and it just cracks me up.” He sighed, regaining his composure. “But yeah, I’ll tell ya’. You’re a good employee, not ratting us out to the police,”

“I doubt they’d believe me if I said a demon made of ink was doing illegal activities. Besides, I’d rather get my paycheck,”

“Works for me. So, ‘bout your question,” He leaned back in his office chair. “Some stuff gives me a kick. Coke does nothing for me, but I do fancy my alcohol.” He grasped his cup of whisky on the desk and raised it to his lips for a sip.

“So you can get drunk?”

He choked on his drink as if you’d accused him of murder. After a fit of coughing, he sputtered, “Are you implying I’m a lightweight?!”

“N--No! I mean, you’re bigger than me, so theoretically you should be able to hold your liquor...I think?” You pause. “Are you?”

Grey dusted his cheeks. His hand gripped the glass so tight that if he weren’t wearing those big white gloves his knuckles would be white. However, instead of lashing out, he looked away. He eventually mumbled, “It’s...embarrassin’,”

“But you’re drinking…” Suddenly you noticed how you can’t smell the reek of alcohol coming from his glass, or the bottle. The label said rum, but the consistency of the liquid inside looked off. “Is that...apple juice?”

“You tell anyone ‘bout this and I’ll wring your fucking neck and shoot your brains out, capisce?” Bendy sneered. His fangs grew, and more ink dribbled down his body as he glared at you so intensely it felt as though his eyes shot bullets right through you.

“L--Like anyone would believe me…?” You whimper.

He continued to scowl at you for a moment longer, before he sighed, and sat back in his chair. He put his glass down, then folded his hands over his chest. “I dunno if it’s ‘cause the people who made me used me for drunken gags, or if ‘cause I’m made of ink, but...look, I got a reputation to keep, see? It’s bad enough I don’t smoke like the rest of ‘em,”

“Maybe you could try chocolate cigars?”

He looked up, “Huh?”

“Y’know...chocolate bars in the shape of cigars. You can munch on them like a cigar. I think they make candy cigs, too, where you can blow rings of powder sugar. Oh!” You’re eyes lit up, “Or what if you just suck on a lollipop...and say it’s made from poison. That could be badass, huh?”

Bendy gazed at you, mouth slightly open in awe. Not just at your idea, but at how your eyes glittered at a stroke of genius .“That’s not a half bad idea, darlin’. Maybe I should promote you to my secretary?”

You smile uneasily. “Not sure Alice Angel would be happy with me taking her job…” 

Bendy chuckled. “Well, between you and me, I’d take you over her any day…”

The phone on Bendy’s desk suddenly ringed, and he picked it up, pressing it into his ear. He pulled it away when a loud voice shouted, “I HEARD THAT, NOW GET BACK TO WORK,” before the line went dead.

“G--Guess that’s my cue to get back to work,” he smirked.

You stood from your seat and said, “Yeah, I should too.” You turned to leave, but when you reached the door, you paused, “Thanks for humoring me,”

“‘Ey, anytime, doll!” Bendy’s grin widened. “You can bug me all you like with your silly questions. Bendy don’t mind at all,”

You snorted, then left. As the door closed, a dreamy expression took over his features.  He loved seeing you come in, but he also liked to watch you walk away.

The phone rang again, and he picked it up out of reflex, “Yeah?”

“You’re thinking ‘I’d fuck her if she asked me’, aren’t ya’,”

“Go stuff a wrench down your throat, Alice Asshole,”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bendy is in a tight spot, and needs your help.

“Son of a bitch--!!” Bendy yelled. He scowled as he sat on the toilet in his personal bathroom, pants around his ankles, and tail stuck down the bowl. Hopelessly stuck. An angry blush rose to his cheeks as he gripped his knees hard enough to squeeze the kneecaps out.

His eyes suddenly widened. He may not look it, but he still retained his rubber hose abilities in this form. If he could just reach the phone on his desk…!

“Hrrrng…” He reached for the door, unlocked it, then wrestled with the knob. God, his arm hurt, he was really out of shape. Sucking in a breath, he continued to stretch his arm until it was as thin as a hose, but his fingers still couldn’t reach the phone. Why did he keep it on the opposite side of his desk?!

The demon cursed. He leaned forward as far as he could his tail straining against him. Yes, yes, his fingers grazed the receiver. “C’mon, Bendy boy, just a lil’ more…” He grasped for it, but his fingertips pushed the phone further away. And his arm felt like it would break in half any second, either that or his tail. He hissed, why couldn’t the table just bring the phone closer? 

What if it could?

Bendy used his remaining strength to pound his fist on the other end of the table, and the phone flew in the air like it was catapult. It landed with a loud thud just outside the door.

“Yes!!” He snatched the phone and snapped his arm closer, wincing when it locked back into place. However, he barely registered the pain as he focused on dialing. Once he finished, he yelled into the phone, “Alice, ya’ there? Get Wally Franks in here, or Boris, or somebody, I don’t care! I’m stuck in my own bathroom and--” He paused when he heard silence over the line, not even the hum of a vacant line. When he looked up, he realized why; the phone cord was pulled off during the jump.

“Are you fucking kiddin’ me right now?!”

His ears picked up a knocking from his front door. Excited, his eyes widened. Could be Boris, or Sammy, or anyone! Anyone, just come and help him! “Whoever’s there, get in here!”

He heard the door open, and footsteps. “Boss?”

As suddenly as his hopes skyrocketed, they plummeted. Anyone but  _ you _ , oh please god.

“Where are you?”

“N--not here, now scram!”

But oh no, you chose curiosity over caution, and followed his voice to the bathroom. You stopped at the doorway and covered your eyes. “Gah! Sorry, sorry!!”

“Aw, hell…” Bendy hung his head. “Really didn’t want ya’ to see me like this,”

“W--Why are you using your bathroom with the door open?” you stamper.

“Don’t ask, just...get me out of here,”

You peek between your fingers. As your eyes scan his form, you find nothing between his legs, or at least it was smooth. Sighing, you said, “Oh thank goodness, I thought I was going to see your junk,”

“Don’t worry, I can conceal that when I gotta. Still,” He averted his eyes in shame. “Look, I accidentally flushed my tail down the toilet, and I’m stuck,”

“Oh, that...that sucks,”

“Tell me ‘bout it,”

Instead of making fun of you, or laughing your head off, you simply kneel to the side and inspect the plumbing. It looked like the average toilet, made for an average person, not a demon. “So is the heart part of your tail stuck, or is it like, in a knot?”

“The ‘heart’ part?”

“That thing at the end of your tail? That devil’s seem to have?”

“It’s a ‘spade’, sweetheart, and yes, that’s the problem...I think,”

“Can you shapeshift? You used to be in those rubber hose cartoons, right?”

Bendy sighed. “I tried that. But between you and me, I’m outta shape in that department. Stretnchin’ and pullin’ does no good.”

“Didn’t you not have a tail in the original shows?”

“Eh?”

“Like, I know you at least look like the Bendy, the Dancing Devil. But...wait, are you and him the same person?”

“No, I’m his grandmother. Of course we’re the same person!”

“Okay, good, just checking. Can you shapeshift back to that...form?”

Bendy cringed. “I...Ah, do I have to?”

“Can you?”

“Yeah, but only under certain circumstances.” He bit his lip, then hissed. “Fine, but don’t tell anyone about this!”

“About you getting stuck in the toilet or the shapeshifting part?”

“Both. Now look, I need you go to over to my desk. In the bottom left drawer there’s a match box. Go get that for me, will ya’?”

You were confused, but obliged. His bottom drawers opened, junk cluttering about. You saw old post it notes, paper clips, and...oh god, you prayed that wasn’t a gun barrel you saw. Somehow you found the box of matches and snatched them up. You shook it, surprised at the feeling of hard objects shaking inside; not like sticks, but like seeds in a maraca. “This the box?”

“Yeah! Now bring it over here,”

“Are these...drugs?” You ask as you handed him the box.

“Nnnot exactly,” He shook the box, and out fell a tiny white pill. If you didn’t know better, you’d think it was just a candy. He placed it on the back of his long, black tongue, reminding you of a snake’s tongue, and then closed his mouth. Then he swallowed it dry with an audible gulp.

You stared at each other for a moment, your eyes reflecting concern while his conveyed anticipation. Bendy broke the silence with a dry heave. 

“Boss?”

“G--Get outta here, sweetheart,” He coughed. “Best if you _ \--cough- _ -wait outside,”

“But you--”

“Did I  _ fucking _ stutter?!” He snarled. His body began to emit a dark smoke, especially from the inky parts of his body. “I said  _ scram!! _ ”

Your ears rang from the demonic volume of his tone. You haven’t been this scared of the demon since your interview. Fighting back tears, you ran out the bathroom and office, and slammed the door shut.

“I meant outside the bathroom, not the whole friggin’ building!” Bendy shouted, followed by a gagging sound.

You paid the demon no mind, instead sitting on the floor and hugging your knees. Trembling, you stared at the opposite wall. Your mind filled with static to drown out the retching sounds behind you.

“Are you alright, my sheep?”

You looked up. A figure made of black slime and wearing a Bendy mask stood above you. He held a bundle of paper under his arm that you knew from experience was sheet music.

“Hey, Sammy,” You mumble. “How’re the sheep today?”

“Very nice, thank you. We received some more lambs to sacrifice last night, and I’m more than sure lord Bendy will be pleased,”

“That’s nice,” You knew these ‘lambs’ were just sketchy mobsters asking for money or begging for time to pay their dues. You also knew Bendy was no ‘lord’, but no one in the cabarete had the heart or patience to correct him, not even the customers.

“What on earth are you doing on the floor, though? I doubt our lord would be happy with either of us sleeping on the job,”

A long, guttural roar from inside Bendy’s office answered his question.

“You know who told me to wait out here,”

“You mean our lord is undergoing a transformation?” Sammy nearly dropped his sheet music.

You shrug. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy, so no comment,”

“Oh dear...has the lord gotten his poor tail stuck in the door jam again?”

“That’s happened?”

“He may be our lord and savior, but even he occasionally suffers from the occasional mishap, which is why it’s our duty to please and sate him!”

“I...think he’s got it covered...for now...I hope,”

A demonic screech cut through the air, and even Sammy had to cover his ears, or where his ears should be. 

“Hey, Sammy, can I ask you a question?”

“About our savior?”

“About you,”

“Oh,” His inky shoulders slackened in disappointment. “I suppose,”

“Bendy and some of the others were the original characters from that old cartoon, right?” You tilted your head. “What character are you?” Your eyes ran up and down his jellylike body. “I mean, I’m not an expert, but I don’t recognize you from the cartoons I’ve seen,”

“Oh! Why, I’m flattered you think I’m worthy to perform by our Bendy’s side!” The ink under his mask seemed to flow faster, as if warming up under his blush. “However, not all of us were stars of that golden age,”

“But if you weren’t from a cartoon, where...where did you come from?”

He chuckled. “I’m terribly sorry, my lamb, but that is one question I cannot tell you.” He paused. “I will tell you this much, however,” His voice lowered to a whisper, “My existence was never a work of fiction,”

“Okay…” You said slowly. So he was a work of nonfiction? 

Before you could ponder it closer, Sammy raised a finger to silence you. Both of you suddenly noticed the silence in the air, especially from the room behind you. However, it didn’t last as the doorknob began to jiggle. Sammy grabbed your arm and jerked you to your feet just as the door opened.

“Doll…? You still out there?” A squeaky voice said. The door refused to open more than a crack.

“Boss!” You cried. “So you’re unstuck from the--” You cover your mouth before any more words can spill.

“I was never stuck to being with, and that’s that!!” The door slammed open.

Your eyebrows arched when you didn’t see the tall ink demon standing there. You looked left and right.

“Down here,”

When you looked down, your hands flew to your face to conceal your gasp. A tiny, cartoon Bendy stood below you, barely two feet tall, and wearing a disgruntled face.

“Hey, dollface. Hey, Sammy,”

“G--Good day to you, my lord!” Sammy stood straight with his sheet music behind his back, dropping a few in the process. “I see you’re doing--”

Your squeal cut through the air, and you fell to your knees to hold Bendy by the cheeks. “Ohmygod, you’re so  _ cute!! _ ” You flung your arms around his small body and held him tight against your chest. “You didn’t tell me you’d be this  _ adorable!! _ ”

Sammy froze, dropping the rest of his sheet music, as his blank mask stared at Bendy as he was ruthlessly cuddled and nuzzled. Grey bloomed Bendy’s cheeks in a profuse blush, but his mouth melted into a smug grin.

“Well, darlin’, you never asked!” he proclaimed. God, he still wished his voice didn’t change with his body; he sounded like one of Boris’s squeaky toys. But damn if he wasn’t gonna take advantage of this! “And you never told me ya’ liked cute lil’ things like myself!”

“You’re so smol and precious I want to just pinch your cheeks and dress you up in baby clothes and ohhhmygod you’re such a lil cutie!” 

Bendy would have remained in that embrace for all eternity, to steal a touch of your soft skin, or your sweet smelling hair...but Sammy was staring at you two, doing his best not to laugh at his lord and savior. He looked ready to burst.

“Alright, alright that’s enough,” Bendy pushed you away. “We all got jobs to do, now get back to work,”

You chuckle and reluctantly release him. “So how long are you gonna be like this?”

“‘Bout an hour or so. I just POOF back into my good ol’ self!” Bendy flexed his arms, but his noodle limbs just arched comically. You can’t help but laugh yet again. He isn’t sure if you’re laughing at him or with him, but he forces a smile anyway. “Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. Now scat, dollface, I ain’t paying ya’ to laugh in my face!”

Wiping a tear from your eye, you walked away, still snickering. Bendy starred as you left, relaxing his posture. In this state, his sleeves wormed up his sleeve, as well as his eyes; his eyes formed into the shape of hearts.

“Well, well, well, it appears our Lord may be interested in finding a Lady?”

“Shut the %$#@ up, Sammy,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please tell me I'm not the only one that wants to hug and cuddle the demon in his toon form. 
> 
> I have a mighty need for a plushie...but i have so many already...and i must be a responsible adult...somehow...


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You discover a hidden talent of Bendy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boop boop deboop I wrote another chapter. Gotta keep this Bendy train rollin'.
> 
> A huge thank you to all the lovely comments, each one makes me write more and make me ecstatic!!

You had a routine when you got into work; stuff your backpack into a locker, clock on, and get to work. This time however, your backpack barely fit inside it. You wanted to shove it inside, but that wasn’t an option due to its contents.

“Really?” You said.

“Pah!” Someone spat. “You’re crazier than I thought, talkin’ to objects like that,”

You jumped, but sighed when you saw Wally Franks, the blobulous janior that often had to clean up his own inky mess as well as everyone else’s, mopping a wet spot in the corner. “Jeez, Wally, you scared me,”

“Surprised you ain’t scared outta ya’ panties, yet, miss,” He dripped more ink behind him. Groaning, he stuck his mop into his pail, and mopped it up. “You’re working for the devil himself,”

“Aren’t you, too?”

He huffed.

“Besides, he’s not THE devil...right? Like, Satan or whatever?”

“Might as well be, by the way he’s working me to the bone,”

“...Do you even have bones?”

“Mind yer own business,”

You shrug. Your backpack slumped out of the locker and fell to your feet. The only reason you put into a locker was because Bendy got one just for you and insisted you lock up your belongings so he ‘couldn’t be responsible if some idiot snatches your purse’. However, what if one of your belongings wasn’t worth stealing? Surly then no one would mind if you carried it with you?

Wally slowed his cleaning at the sound of your backpack unzipping and you rummaging inside it. You pulled out another, smaller bag in a peculiar shape. Then you stuffed your backpack inside and slammed the door shut. “Are ya’ smuggling stuff, or is that what I think it is?”

“What do you think?” You smirk.

“If it ain’t what I think it is, then I’m outta here,”

“Yeah, I should be ‘outta here’, too,”

He scowled, “How many times do I gotta tell you not to use my catch phrase?!”

You didn’t answer, and walked out the door carrying your bag. Once you reached your desk, you sat the bag on the table to the side and sat down. As a receptionist to an illegal operation, your job was surprisingly pleasant. Your responsibilities involved answering the phone and occasionally greeting certain ‘customers’. For drug dealers, thieves and what you assumed were pimps, they were unexpectedly polite to you. Perhaps because you were the only human that worked there, and they found familiarity in that. Or maybe you just weren’t worth the trouble of harassing or flirting. 

But it was a Sunday, which meant fewer calls. Your eyes drifted to your bag. Normally you brought a book to read or do crosswords in, but your disturbance in your routine changed that. You look over your shoulder, then unzipped the bag. 

You removed the ukulele from the case. Second hand, it bore a scratch here and there on the body and soundhole. Your fingers fiddled with the tuning pegs and strummed the strings. An unpleasant chord rang through the air, and you frowned. You rubbed your finger tips together, not yet callused.

“Watcha got there, sweetheart?”

Startled, you yelped and the ukelele jumped from your arms, spun in the air for a minute, before you caught it in your chest. “B--Bendy!”

He smirked. “The one and only.”

“I--I wasn’t slacking off, I swear!” You hide the ukulele behind your back as you turned in your chair to face him. However, he waved his hand in a placating maner.

“Relax, darlin’, I won’t bite. Mind tellin’ me why ya’ never mentioned you could play?” He peeked over your shoulder.

Slowly, you pulled out your instrument. “Because I just picked it up recently. As in, like, three days ago,” Your thumb grazed the neck. “When I was a kid, I wanted to play the guitar but I never found the time to learn. Figured it’d be easier to learn a smaller guitar.” Then you scratch your head. “I’m trying to learn by ear, buuut…”

“Aha, you need a teacher, eh?”

“You know someone?”

“IIIII might~,” Bendy plucked the ukelele from your hands. His gaze turned skyward in thought while he tuned the strings. He then strummed the strings, the chord ringing through the air like a harp’s. “Let me think...Boris don’t know squat ‘bout guitars,” Another strum. “Alice can’t play to save her life,” He played a few notes. “Sammy might be too busy to teach ya’...”

“Hey, I just thought of something!”

“Yeah?” Bendy’s voice dripped with confidence.

“If you played that as your toon form, it’d be like you playing a full sized guitar!” You laughed.

Bendy’s face fell into shock, followed by disappointment. “Really? That’s the first thing that comes to your mind?”

“Besides the obvious?”

“Well, yeah. But you know what’s obvious to me?”

“What?”

“The acoustics are shit here. Let’s get outta here,”

* * *

 

You never been behind the large stage in the dining area. However, you were surprised at how messy it was; crates everywhere full of supplies, lighting equipment everywhere, and dozens of costumes for performers laid haphazardly about. Small ink people, or ‘searchers’, according to Bendy, flitted about tidying up and preparing for the evening activities. Bendy paid them no mind and guided you to the front of the stage. The whole room felt bigger from here…

“Hellooooo!!” You yelled. Your voice carried to the other end of the room.

Bendy chuckled. “See? Much better here. Now let’s whip out that ol’ ukulele,”

You hugged the ukulele to your chest. “I--er--I dunno…”

“Why not?”

“Um, I’m no good at this yet and you’re putting me on stage? I’m feeling as self conscious as a middle schooler,”

Bendy’s face fell. “Oh, uh, didn’t think of that,” He sheepishly chuckled. “I should know better; I was brought into this world to  _ entertain, _ for Pete’s sake!” He noticed your gaze was locked with your feet, and his face softened. “Hey, I’m not tryin’ to make fun of ya’ or anything. I just thought you’d feel better about playing if you could hear yourself better. Here, I’ll even teach ya’ a chord,” He stood behind you and placed his large hands atop yours. His hands moved yours to properly hold the instrument, and said, “Now, give it a little strum,”

You let your fingers brushed against the strings. A quiet chord sounded. Pleasantly surprised, you did it again, but stronger.

“See? Not too shabby!” He gently arranged your fingers to press against a few of the strings against the neck. “Try it again, nice n’ easy,”

Different notes rang through the air, and Bendy hummed approvingly. “You’ll be a bonafide professional in no time, doll!”

“With just two chords,” You deadpanned.

“Alright, scratch that; you’ll be a pro with a  _ lil’ _ time. But before you know it,” He reached behind him, and pulled out a tambourine out of thin air. “You’ll be able to play up here with the best, like me!” He gave the tambourine a shake.

Bendy stopped when he saw how excited your eyes gleamed. Not at him, but at the instrument in his hand. You reminded him of a child who just found their new favorite toy. He held it out towards you. “Wanna trade?”

You nodded. The tambourine felt much more natural in your hands than the ukulele. Simple and light, you waved it in the air like giving a jazz hand, giggling at the jingling of bells. You clapped it in delight.

Bendy couldn’t help but chuckle. “Give me a beat, why dontcha?”

You slapped your tambourine, and Bendy began to strum a simple tune in tempo. He tapped his foot and his tail playfully swung in the air. Gaining confidence, you sway your hips to the beat as well, but didn’t notice how Bendy’s eyes lingered to your movements. He whistled through his teeth and skipped in a circle around you. His eyes were glued to you, their gleam not so much predatory but more entranced. Bewitched. Adoring as you two played a catchy little song.

“Boo,” came a voice.

Both of you froze. You held the tamborine to your chest while Bendy’s grip on the ukulele tightened. A woman of ink stood in front of the stage in the audience area. She wore a filthy apron over a black dress, and a pair of horns and a misshapen halo protruded from her black hair. Half her face looked as if it met with running mascara, melting off her face with it. She wore a frown and repeated, “Boo,”

“A--Alice…?”

“That’s my ‘sister’. ‘M Malice,”

“Oh…”

Bendy grit his teeth. “The hell do you want? Ya’ should be cleanin’ up and setting up the place,”

“I am,” She placed a clean white table cloth over one of the tables without breaking eye contact. “I can only do that and put up with your awful music for so long, though.” Her gaze fell towards you. “The girl’s fine, but your act is hardly entertaining.”

The demon’s grip grew so tight the ukulele broke into two. 

“My ukulele!” You cried.

“Fuck!” Bendy tried to put the pieces together, but he crushed them further. “Shit shit shit, I’m sorry!”

Your face froze in shock for a moment, before your shoulders fell. “Eh, it’s no big deal. It only cost me like, twenty bucks, and my fingers were starting to hurt, anyway,”

“Wait, let--let me make it up to ya’. I’ll give you a lil’ bonus in your next paycheck, that sound fair?”

Malice arched an eyebrow as she walked closer to the stage. “Since when are you so generous?”

Bendy ignored her. “You sure you don’t want me to replace it? It’d be a snap for a guy like me,”

“It was an impulse buy, it’s fine, really,”

“Well...if ya’ insist,” Bendy’s tail fell to the floor. “Guess...Guess we should be goin’ back to work,”

You hand over the tambourine. His eyes went from it to your face, before he gently pushed it back to you. “Keep it. Ya’ got a knack for it that would be a shame to waste,”

“You sure?”

“‘Course I’m sure. Now go on, get back to work!” He playfully shoved you off the stage, and saw you trip away. You waved goodbye and ran off, the tambourine jingling with each step. Still on the stage, Bendy cupped the remains of your ukulele. His thumb idly stroked the wood as he watched you walk away and disappear. 

“...Shit!” He exclaimed. “I forgot to ask her out!”

“How do you forget something like that?” Malice leaned against the stage with her arms crossed, smug. “You sound like a shitty boyfriend,”

“Remind me why I keep you around,”

“‘Cause I’m scarier than you when it comes to scaring people to pay up.” When Bendy crumpled the ukulele remains in his hands into dust, she tilted her head. “You’d scare her off, though,”

“‘Scuse you, I can be the perfect gentleman when I need to be!”

She snickered. “Prove it,”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bendy finally attempts to court the reader!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how long this will be but I keep writing more and more. I wonder if anyone would be up for me to commish them to say some lines from my fanfic...that'd be a dream come true.
> 
> If y'all wanna talk to me, help bounce some ideas off, you can find me on tumblr at tietoons.tumblr.com and my art blog tietoonsartblog.tumblr.com! :D

When Bendy sat down at his desk and heard the phone ring first thing, he assumed it would be Alice to nag about something. He picked it up and said, “Yeah, what’s yer problem?”

“Bendy?”

He straightened when he heard your voice. “Oh--Uh, hi dollface, how’s it goin’?” The demon smiled, confident that he knew why you were calling. Confident that your feelings were known.

“I--I think I have a stalker,”

“Say  _ what?! _ ” Bendy snarled. “Who? Where? Listen, sweetheart, just say the word and I’ll fuck them up--”

“I--I don’t know who it is! I just walked in and there’s a giant bouquet of roses on my desk!”

Bendy’s face contorted, unsure what expression to show. His lips somehow managed to form the words, “What…?”

“I mean, I don’t have a boyfriend, and--and I’m paranoid there might be something weird in there, like--like drugs or something! Or someone’s trying to bribe me?” 

“S--Sweetheart, just...just calm down for a minute,” He could hear you pacing back and forth. “Honestly, you’re too nervous for your own good,”

“What should I do…?”

“Well,” He played with the phone cord. “Mind checking the inside for me? For, I dunno, any sign of the recipient?” He hated how his voice cracked at the end. Over the phone, he heard paper and petals rustling. 

“...I found something,”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah,”

An awkward silence stretched between you. The demon felt sick not knowing what you were thinking, or feeling. He knew you found a piece of paper, and what it said.

“Hey, Bendy?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I come by your office?”

“Sure, sweetheart, my door’s always open to you,”

Five minutes passed like an eternity. He did his best to distract himself with paperwork, but his mind couldn’t sit still. The demon jumped when you knocked on his door.

“W--What are you waitin’ for? Get in here,”

You poked your head inside. A faint blush dusted your cheeks.

“Pull up a chair, doll,”

You entered and sat in the chair in front of his desk. You held a piece of paper, stained with ink and stray leaves. Bendy’s face flushed gray at the sight, and struggled to make eye contact. He twirled a fountain pen in his hand as he moistened his lips.

“Should we address the elephant in the room?” You ask.

“Elephant? Oh, sure, one sec’,” He turned his chair around. There was the sound of flexing rubber, and then he turned back around, but with large ears and a long trunk on his face. “Ta-dah!”

You burst laughing, hugging your stomach. Bendy chuckled as he pushed his extra parts back into his face like clay. 

“So--So about the flowers,” You wiped a tear from your eye.

“Yeah, I never thought you’d think they were from a stalker,”

“So this...isn’t a joke?”

“What? Why the hell would I joke about this?”

“You...were once a cartoon, and jokes are...kinda your thing?”

Bendy gripped the armrests of his chair. “Hey, I’m an entertainer at heart, not a heart breaker for entertainment!” He hung his head and sighed. “I never meant to scare you off, doll,”

“It--It’s not your fault. I haven’t had the best experiences with romance, so as a result it’s made me...wary,”

“Really? Like what?”

“Well, I’ve had a couple of relationships before, but none of them lasted long. The first one was a guy who straight up told me he was only dating me because his mom made him. This was back in high school, and I think she took pity on me.” You fold the note in your hands as you continue. “Then in college I met this nice girl and asked her out, but then she cheated on me,” You fought the urge to curl up into a ball on that chair. “I stayed away from dating after that. Not that I was very datable to being with,”

“Well...if dating humans aren’t your thing, then would ya’ consider having dinner with a demon instead?”

“You honestly want to date me?”

Bendy groaned. “How much more obvious can I make it?!” He pinched the bridge of his nonexistent nose. “____, I...I like ya’. A lot. ‘N for a while now. I’m not sayin’ ya’ gotta go out with me, or even return my feelings, I just want...want ya’ to know,” He buried his face into his hands, blushing so profusely his face was almost black. 

Another stretch of silence. When Bendy plucked up the courage to peek between his fingers, he saw you in a similar position, only blushing red.

“Sweetheart?”

“I...I don’t know what to say,”

Bendy lowered his hands. “Do...Do ya’ feel the same way?”

You toy with your hair. “Not quite, but…” A shy smile crept onto your face. “I wouldn’t mind the date,”

The demon’s eyes went wide as dinner plates, literally. “Really? Ya’ really mean it?”

“Yeah, just...maybe we could start low key at first? Like something simple? Just to get to know each other better,”

“Whatever the hell you say, sweetheart!” Bendy jumped from his seat and leaned over the desk, grinning horn to horn. “So whatcha wanna do? Lunch? Dinner? Tonight?”

“Actually, I was thinking...that is, only if you want to do it to...You know the park down the street?”  
“Yeah?”

“I just found out it has a pond and a whole flock of ducks. So, I was going to...go and feed the ducks,” You tilted your head down and looked up, unknowingly resembling a puppy. “Do you wanna come?”

Oh god, if only you knew what you did to this poor demon’s heart. His heart pounded so hard it thrust from his chest with each beat by a full foot, almost touching your nose. Meanwhile, his dark onyx eyes glittered with stars. He barely whispered his answer, “Yeah,”

“Okay, so...maybe tomorrow? After lunch? It’s a date?”

Bendy’s tail wagged like a dog’s. “Hell yeah it’s a date!”

“Great! It’s a date!” You stood from your seat. “I didn’t mean for that to rhyme…Guess I should get back to work,”

“Yeah, yeah, see you later, sweetheart!” He winked with a cheeky grin.

You snorted at such a cartoonish flirtation, and left. Once you were gone, Bendy let out a long sigh, and his body relaxed as if deflating. With dreamy gleam in his eyes and a lovesick smile, he was lost in thought for the next hour. Black hearts even appeared and popped around him. He didn’t even blink when Boris came in and waved a hand over his face.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The date goes off the rails, and ends up extending it...for the better.

You had to stifle a laugh when you saw Bendy walk up to you, sitting on a park bench. He wore his usual clothes, cleaned and ironed, but he also sported a bowler hat and a pair of groucho glasses. 

“Bendy, is that you?” You snicker.

“Bendy? Bendy who?” He asks. After glancing over his shoulder, he lowered his glasses and grinned. “‘Course it’s me, sweetheart,”

“What’s with the glasses?”

“I know they distract from my handsome self,” He sat next to you. “But I still gotta keep a low profile here,”

You reach into a brown paper bag next to you and pulled out a large bag of birdseed. “Does that mean you never leave work? Ever?” You wrestle with the top to tear it open, but with no avail. Bendy offered a hand, and you passed it to him.

“Of course I get out n’ about sometimes,” He pulled out a pocket knife with a dried red substance on it--blood?--and cut it open. “I just usually do it under the cover of darkness,”

“So only at night?”

“Pretty much,” He unsheathed his knife.

You reached over and stuck your hand inside the bag. At the rustling, a dozen ducks swam up towards your spot, eyeing your hand. You pulled out with a palm full and tossed some towards them. They waddled out of the water, quacking with excitement. You smile.

“Hey, Bendy?”

“Yeah?”

“Got a favorite animal?”

“Hmm…” He scratched his chin. “Never paid it much thought, but I can’t say I’m particularly fond of humans,”

You snorted. “That’s fair. Our race kinda sucks as a whole,”

“Yeah. Most humans, I mean. Some are alright,”

“Like me, I hope,”

“Better than alright in my book, doll!”

You pull out more birdseed and sprinkle it by your feet. A few white ducks stretched their necks to risk a nibble at it. As you stick your hand back into the bag, however, your hand brushes against Bendy’s. His white gloves felt cool against your skin, but he snatched his hand away as if he’d burned you.

“Sorry,” He mumbled.

“’s okay,” You take a pinch and toss it to the ducks flocking at your feet. As loud birds puttered and squaked, Bendy grabbed some bird seed and hurled it behind the ducks. They skittered away, their feathery tails facing you. 

“Aren’t they cute, their little tails wagging and stuff,” 

“Definitely not the ugliest things I’ve seen,”

“You think your tail is better?”

“It’s definitely sexier,” He bares his fangs as he grins.

“But doesn’t it give you away?”

His grin falls. “Eh?”

“Your tail,”  You gesture behind him, and sure enough, his long, spaded tail is lazily flickering away.

“Shit!!” He jumped up and grabbed his tail. Hastily, he stuffed the tail into his pants, but it caught on the birdseed back. With a yank, the bag fell over and spilled all over the grass.

The hoard of ducks scrambled to you, quacking louder and flapping their wings wildly. In their mad dash for food, some bit at your ankles.

“Ow! Owch! Cut it out!” You clumsily walk over and around the birds. They continued to peck and bite you, especially when you stepped on the webbed foot of a goose. It squawked and began to assault you. You walked backwards, trying to kick it away. Just when your heels kissed the edge of the pond, the goose lunged for your chest, pushing you backwards.

“Aaaah--!” SPLASHHH!!!

“_____!” cried Bendy. He forgot his tail and sprinted towards you. His arms stretched and picked you up bridal style, then held your dripping wet form to his chest. “You okay?”

You spat out some pond water and coughed. “Yeah, but my clothes aren’t.” You stare dejected at your once pristine white shirt. “I really liked this outfit, too,”

“I’ll take care o’ that,” He turned towards the ducks. They stared at him with dark, beady eyes. He snarled back before he pulled you even closer. You felt the ink beneath his skin ripple and stretch, and you realized he was growing taller. When you looked up, you gasped at the sight of sharp fangs, and generous globs of ink covering the top half of his face. 

Yet the ducks were nonpulsed at this display. They continued to peck at his legs and flap their wings. He marched past them, not caring if he stepped on them or not. Gradually their distance from Bendy increased, and as it did, he melted back to his original self.

“Bendy?”

“Yeah?”

“You can put me down, if you want,”

He stopped as if breaking from a trance. “Oh. Right. Lemme just,” He gently lowered you to your feet. “There ya’ go,”

“Sorry this date wasn’t…” Your tongue squirmed in your mouth as if searching for the right word.

“Ah, forget about it,” Bendy waved. “Not your fault those ducks got shitty temperaments,”

“I can never look at ducks the same way ever again…Not even rubber duckies,”

Bendy chuckled. “Don’t you worry, doll. Where we’re goin’ next is duck free,”

“Where are we going?”

“Didn’t ya’ hear me say I’d take care of your spoiled clothes?”

* * *

 

Bendy ushered you down alleyways with precision and pride. After what felt like half an hour of zig zagging past graffitied walls and dumpsters, he stopped at a back door. He knocked, and a tiny peephole opened up. The eyes widened, then crinkled, accompanied with a giggle.

“It’s the glasses, ain’t it?” He grumbled. “Look, ya’ want my business or what?”

The peephole shut, and the door opened. A woman with measuring tape around her neck looked out and saw you partially standing behind the demon. She glanced at him.

“H--Hi…?” You say.

“She’s my...friend, and fell into a pond. Can your sister clean her clothes while she gets some new ones?”

The woman nodded, and stepped aside. You followed Bendy inside, and saw dozens of mannequin and piles of neatly folded clothes. He then guided you to a side door, leading to a room that looked like it belonged to a different store; piles of clothes hung on hangers and cardboard boxes full of more. 

“Where are we, Bendy?”

“Dis here is a boutique. Next door is a tailor, and next door to that is a dry cleaner. These three establishments are run by the same family. Sister one is dry cleaning, sister two is tailoring, and three is retail. Now they pay me a portion of their sales for...protection, and in exchange they provide us with all our clothing needs without questions!” He patted you on the back. “Here’s what we’re gonna do; you go and pick out somethin’ off the rack. Then get outta those dirty rags and change. And finally, we’ll take those same rags to the cleaners. And don’t fret ‘bout the price tag, it’s my treat,” He winked.

“You sure?”

“I’m sure as I’m a demon!” He grabbed his tail and spun it around. “Now go get yourself something nice while I talk to the sisters, ‘kay?”

“Okay,”

* * *

 

You scoured every inch of the store to find something to fit you. Most of the outfits were designed for people of thinner stature than yourself. None of these would fit, or would at least either constrict you to death or hang off you unflatteringly. The woman from before, the tailor, noticed the anguish on your face, and approached you. 

She offered to make you something from scratch. A dress made from scrap pieces that would fit your body. At first you were shocked at such an offer, but her insistence wore you down, and shoved you out of the store, and into her territory. 

You stripped to your underwear and stood as instructed as the seamstress took measurements. You were too tired to bother sucking in your gut, and just let the tape fall over your body. Once she finished, she sat at her desk and a piece of paper to jot down your measurements. Left alone, almost naked, you inspected yourself.

The extra fat padding your thighs and hips gave the illusion you were shorter than you were. Though society deemed larger breasts as desirable, you begged to differ with your flesh dumbbells attached to your chest. You sat on a nearby stool and leaned your elbows against your knees as your mind continued with your examination. One of the biggest challenges was finding something to get over your chest or butt when shopping for clothes, let alone fit. Even when something  _ did _ contain your butt and boobs, the rest was baggy, sagging off the rest of you. Friends described your body type as ‘curvy’ but you viewed it as cumbersome.

Bendy must be so lucky, you thought. He could change his body at will, and even if he couldn’t, he at least had the money to have clothes tailored to fit him. You wonder if he had a whole closet for his normal body, and another for his tiny, toon self.

A tap to your shoulder broke your trance. The woman held a paper to your face. Your eyes widened at it.

She asked it you liked it.

“Like it? I...I mean, of course! But can you make that out of just scraps?”

The tailor smirked and played with her measuring tape like lapels of a fine jacket.

“Okay, then...let’s--”

Suddenly, the door to presumably the dry cleaner slammed open, and Bendy strolled in. “Okay, toots, lemme just check on my friend and nab her clothes--” He stopped dead in his tracks as he locked eyes with yours. Then his eyes flickered lower.

“EEP!!!” You squeaked.

A gush of black ink shot out from where his nose should be, and his eyes rolled back as he fell. He landed on his back with a dull thud, ink bursting out like a geyser as he mumbled.

* * *

 

“Uhhh…Ugh…” Bendy groaned as he opened his eyes. He slowly sat up and rubbed his aching head. Then he scratched his nose, and when he pulled his hand back, he found it covered in ink, the kind that came from his veins.

“Wha’ happened?” 

“Bendy?”

He looked up and saw you standing above him. His eyes widened. You wore a dress made from pieces of glittering fabric, making your silhouette look like a crystal with dozens of faces reflecting light. Bendy’s eyes trailed around your body, fighting another nose bleed at how lovely the dress hugged your curves, and fluttered out from your hips.

“H--Hiya, dollface,” He said.

“You okay? You’ve been out for like, hours,”

“Hours?!” He scrambled to his feet.

“Yeah, just...had a nose bleed and knocked out cold. Are...you okay?”

He scratched the tiredness out of his eyes. “Lil’ light headed, but otherwise just dandy. But forget ‘bout me! Look at ya’!” He beamed. “You’re pretty as a picture, doll~”

You smooth out imaginary creases in your dress to hide your blush. “The tailor made it herself,”

“Really, now?”

“Yep. While you were counting sheep, she was making this!” You spun, making the dress twirl playfully. Then you faced the tailor, and pressed your pointer fingers together shyly. “So, um, what do I owe you…?”

“We’ll take it!” Bendy cut in. He shoved a bundle of bills into the woman’s arms, then pulled you close to his side. “No need to wrap it up, we’ll wear it out!”

“I...don’t think this would fit you,” You giggle.

“Fine with me, ‘cause it fits you like a glove! Now let’s get outta here!”

“Huh? Where?”

“With a pretty dress like that, it’d be a waste not to go paint the town red!”

“Where are we gonna get that much red paint?”

“What? No, it’s a--it’s an expression--” He saw your smile. “Oh. Ohhh, you’re funny,” Then he cleared his throat. “Seriously, though, would you be interested in, maybe, extending our date? Grab some dinner?”

Before you could part your lips to answer, a loud grumble came from your stomach, and you hugged it, as if it could conceal your hunger. You chuckle nervously. “Yes?”

“Hell yeah!”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The demon treats you to dinner, but gets interrupted.

“Soooo, whatcha think?”

You looked around the cozy alcove Bendy led you to; a secluded area upstairs to the ballroom of his establishment. Faint echoes of the music and hustle vibrated subtly from the floor, and out on the balcony one could hear the droning hum of the night. A white tablecloth laid atop a dining table, and atop that stood a tiny lit candle.

“Why do you have something like this here?” You ask.

“Oh, y’know, sometimes clients want some privacy, others just wanna treat their sweethearts, includin’ me,”

“For some reason, that first part has me picturing a pimp having dinner with all his ‘employees’,”

Bendy laughed. “Well, not tonight. Have a seat,” He looped his tail around a chair and pulled it out. You tuck your dress under your legs and sat down, then let him push you in. As he sat down opposite of you, you picked up one of the menus on the table. Despite your time working here, you never got around to reading the menu. You did note these menus felt new, or at least well maintained. 

“Help yourself to whatever you want, dollface. It’s my treat,”

“Will Boris be cooking it?”

“You betcha! I’ve also told him to not drool in it,”

“...” 

Bendy’s face fell. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding! He never drools in the food, I promise. Cross my heart!”

“Says the demon. Figured you’d be allergic to crosses or something,”

As you both chuckled, Alice walked into the room. She wore a waitress apron on top of her black dress, and pulled out a notepad and pen. “Can I get you two some drinks?”

“Alice?” You ask, “Since when are you a waitress?”

“Since tonight. Bendy’s payin’ me a hundred bucks to do just this,”

Bendy coughed and buried his face in his menu.

Alice continued, “Said something ‘bout wanting everything to be perfect and not trustin’ anyone else to do it. So can I get you something to drink?”

“Oh, um,” You scan the menu for the drinks. “I’ll have, um, uh, water?”

“Really? Water?”

Bendy peeked from behind his menu. “Hey, Alice Asshole, if she wants a glass of water, then get her a glass of water. Dat’s not a crime, ain’t it?”

She shrugged. “So what about you? Should I get your sippy cup of apple juice?”

Bendy growled as he disappeared again behind the menu. “...Water,”

“Coming up,” She walked away. After she left, you both dared to lower your menus to make eye contact.

“So, um,” You ask, “What do you recommend on the menu?”

“Oh! Well, this place has it all. Steaks, pasta, you name it. Nothing but the finest cuisine for my business!”

“I could go for some pasta…” Your eyes fell onto the menu, and a blush bloomed across your face. “Um, Bendy…?”

“Yeah?” Bendy’s stomach filled with dread.

“Can you tell me what, um, this is?” You turn the menu around and pointed to a note taped under the main dish section. In chicken scratch was the phrase, “___’s pussy”.

Bendy’s jaw fell open, until his lower lip reached his lap. He blinked dumbly, then used his hand to shut his mouth. He snatched the note, and flipped it over. You leaned over to see, and read, “PS, Malice was here”.

“I--I guess I got your menu by mistake,”

“Yeah,” Bendy crumpled it in his fist. “Let’s forget about this, shall we?”

“Forget that Malice hates me?”

“What?”

“I know I don’t know her well, but I never meant to offend her or--”

Bendy tapped the table to get your attention. “Hey, look at me. It’s me she hates, not you. She doesn’t give a damn ‘bout you, much less hates ya’. I promise, no one here hates ya’, so don’t worry about it,”

“You sure?”

“I swear. And even if they did, they’d have to deal with me first,”

Just then, Alice returned with a tray of two glasses of water. The ice inside clinked with each step she took. “Your drinks,” she said and placed them between you and Bendy. “So what do you guys want to eat?”

You opened your mouth to speak, but a bang from downstairs startled you, followed by faint yells. Your appetite disappeared as anxiety took its place. “What was that…?”

“Uh, probably nothin’, darlin’,” Bendy’s eyes darted to the side. “But could ya’ ‘scuse me for a sec?”

You nodded. He got up from his chair and whispered something into Alice’s ear. Then he sauntered out of the room, and down the stairs. “Will he be okay?”

“He’ll live,” said Alice. She leaned against the table and gazed at her black shoes. “But in case things get messy, I’ll get you home safe and sound,”

“I...I don’t think I wanna know what you mean by ‘messy’...”

“Figured,” 

“Alice? Can I ask you a question about Bendy?”

“Has he had any other partners besides me?”

“Like girlfriends?”

“Or boyfriends, or gender neutral significant others?” You shrug.

Alice smirked. “Why?”

Your eyes fall to your water glass. “Just--Just curious,” The ice shifted.

“Then it might disappoint you to know I’m not really sure.” She pulled out her notepad and doodled. “I’m not even sure if he’s a virgin or not,”

“What?”

“Again, it’s not my business, and he’d sooner stick me through the ink machine before telling me about his love life. We’re coworkers, not psychic sibling.”

“What’s the ink machine?”

Alice ceased doodling. After a pause, she turned towards yours. “It’s...It’s a figure of speech amongst us.”

“Sooo what does it mean?”

“It’s the equivalent of wanting to shove someone face first through a torture device,”

“Oookay?” You sipped at your water. “So is...Bendy sticking people through the ink machine downstairs?”

“Hopefully it won’t come to that. Usually does, but tonight’s different,”

“How?”

She looked at you.

“What?”

“Ever since you came in here, he’s been on his best behavior. Not  _ the _ best behavior, but the best for him. It’s pretty obvious that he likes you,” 

You blushed and turned away. Your lips refused to move, to refute the angel. As you put your glass down, you hear ruckus from downstairs. The water in your glass rippled at the vibrations. You jumped from your chair and grasped to the table for support as if in the middle of an earthquake. “W--What was that?”

“Either Sammy knocked someone out with a cello or Wally knocked someone out with his mop,” Her gaze softened when she saw your expression. “You know, you don’t have to stay.” You stare at her incredulously. “Really, I can drive you home, and Bendy’ll understand,”

“You sure?”

“Promise. Now do you wanna get out of here or stay?”

You moisten your lips before answering, “I...I want to go home,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait y'all, I'm going back to college this week, and classes start NEXT week, and I have an 8 am class, or lord...  
> I want to say thank you so much for every comment and review, they mean so much to me <3<3<3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Bendy have a heart to heart.

You rubbed the sleep out of your eyes as you walked towards the door of work. Your hand clawed through the air for the door handle blindly until you felt cool metal, and turned your wrist. Somehow you traversed the hallways and made it to your desk, collapsing in the chair. 

The previous night, Alice snuck you out of the bar and into a car, then drove you home in silence. Once you reached your bed, you closed your eyes yet slumber only teased you. A cocktail of feelings and unease coursed through you well until morning, and just as you arrived to your desk.

Bendy was probably busy cleaning up from last night, and now wouldn’t be the right time to talk. And the phone remained blissfully quiet. You decide to rest your head on the desk, just for a quick nap to get you through the day.

As you lost consciousness, your ears don’t pick up the footsteps. Nor did you notice the soft weight around your shoulders like an old quilt. 

After what felt like a moment, you opened your eyes to the smell of food. You lift your head and blearily saw a silver platter in front of you. Your eyes trail upwards and saw Boris smiling down at you.

“Hi, buddy,” You scratch his ear, and hear him stomp the ground in joy. “Is this for me?”

He nodded eagerly. His paw lifted the cover and revealed a sandwich with toasted bread and a piping hot bowl of soup. You licked your lips, then noticed how hungry you were.

“How long was I asleep?”

Boris held up three fingers.

“Three what? Hours?”

He nodded.

You groan and dragged your hands down your face. “Oh god I hope I didn’t miss any calls…”

Boris shook his head intently.

“How are you sure?”

He pointed to your napkin by the soup. You picked it up, and a folded piece of paper fell out. You opened it and read,

_ “Hey, Sweetheart, _

_ Sorry about last night. Bastards left such a mess we’re closed today, but I forgot to tell ya’ to take the day off. Hopefully this lunch will make up for it.  _

_ -Bendy _

_ PS; Swing by my office before you go, okay?” _

* * *

 

Bendy paced back and forth like an expectant parent in the waiting room. His tail wavered with anticipation. He chewed on some gum he snatched from one of the hooligans last night. At this rate, he’d make an indention in the rug from all his walking. 

A knock came from the door. Bendy’s face lit up in delight and horror.

“S--Sweetheart!” He scrambled to the door and slammed it open.

Wally Franks stared at him. “Ex- _ cuse _ me?” 

Bendy scowled. “Not now, Wally,” He shut the door in his face.

“Look, I don’t care what’s going on in your pants right now, I’m cleanin’ up last night’s mess AND doing everybody’s laundry, so I need your dirty underwear, or else I’m outta here!”

“For fuck’s sake, Wally--”

“Whatsamatta? Got a week’s worth of cum stains? Or did you pee the bed sheets again?”

“WALLY!!!”

“C’mon, I don’t have all day. Besides, your sweetheart is waiting for ya’!”

“WHAT?!” Bendy opened the door, then peered behind Wally. You stood there, though not paying attention, instead staring into space. At the silence, however, you snapped out of it, and glanced towards Bendy.

“Is, um, is this a bad time?”

Bendy grabbed Wally by the scuff and tossed him aside. “Nononono! Come on in!” He hooked his arm around your waist and pulled you inside, then closed the door with his tail. “So, uh, how’re you feelin’?”

“I’m alive, that’s a start,” You rub your arm. “I, um, was hoping we could talk?”

“Sure, of course, yeah!” Bendy moved his office chair from behind the desk to besides the one in front. Sitting down, he patted the other chair. You sat down, facing him with your hands in your lap. “So, ummm…”

“Are you okay? From last night?”

“Me? Pfft, ‘course I’m okay! Those guys were nothin’! Made a big mess more than anythin’,”

You sigh. “I was worried after I left…”

“Yeah, I...I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare ya’ off.”

“I’m sorry I left,”

“Wait, what? Nonono!” He waved his hands in front of him. “There were hooligans with bats and knives! I don’t blame ya’ for runnin’ off! You don’t have to be sorry for lookin’ out for yourself, really.” His eyes fell to the red carpet below. “I...I’m the one who should be sorry. I let my work get in the way of our date. Our first fucking date!”

“What about in the future?”

“Future? Whaddya mean?”

“I mean, what about...our next date? If we have one…?”

Bendy leaned forward. “Really? You wanna go out again?”

“I do, but…”

“But what?”

“I...I don’t want either of us to get hurt,”

“Whaddya--What do you mean?”

“I’m scared I’ll get hurt from the...those people that you do business with. And I’m scared you’ll get hurt being seen with me,”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa! You scared you’ll get hurt I understand, but why me?”

“Before, you’d never go outside unless it’s night or in disguise. But with me, I’d want to be with you, in broad daylight, where anyone could hurt you. I’d hate to think that you’d get hurt and it’d be my fault,”

“Aw, sweetheart,” Bendy reached out and placed his giant, white glove hands over your fists. “You--You don’t have to worry ‘bout lil’ ol’ me. But if ya’, well, wanna call ‘us’ off, then,” He inhaled through his nose. “Then I won’t stop ya’,”

Fingers shyly wormed out and laced between Bendy’s larger ones. The demon looked up.

“I want to keep seeing each other,” You whisper. “You’re a good boss, and a good friend. I like spending time with you, and I...I like how you care about me. It means a lot to me,” Your frown deepened. “But I’ve never been in a good relationship before, and it’s scary to have one to begin with. Intimacy is...scary. I’m scared,”

Tears stung your eyes, but refused to fall. “Besides, we’re two completely different...species? And from completely different walks of life. I--I mean,  you could be older than my grandpa for all I know! Would it even work out? What if we want to commit, or get married, or--or--I don’t know!” 

Bendy raised a hand and hesitantly tilted your chin. On instinct, you threw yourself into his chest. A few tears escaped, soaking his shirt. Your hands felt rough patches where the fabric was stitched together after slits and tears. You wondered if the skin beneath was littered with scars.

Was this all your fault? The lack of answers only made you tremble more.

Meanwhile, Bendy’s face froze, and his arms awkwardly hoovered around you. Your questions bounced in his head, questions that you had never thought of before. He froze with the same uncertainty that brought you to tears. He sighed, not realizing he held his breath, and wrapped his arms around you. In any other situation, he would have used the chance to steal a feel to your curves, but the flood of feelings shoved the suggestion out of his mind.

“Sweetheart, darlin’,” He whispered. “I...I’m scared, too. And I don’t have any of the answers, but…” He stroked your hair. “I promise, I’ll do everythin’ in my power to protect you. Whether you’re datin’ me or not,”

You sniffle. “Thanks, Bendy,” 

Bendy smiles when you wipe your tears on his shirt. Discreetly, he wiped the wetness from his own eyes. He had a reputation to keep, after all.

The door slammed open, and there stood Wally Franks. “Will ya’ quit making out already? If I gotta wait another minute, I’m outta here, and Boss won’t have any clean undies for a week!”

“Wally Fuckin’ Franks, would it kill ya’ to give us two minutes alone?” Bendy barked. However, you let go of him, and straighten out your clothes. 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt,”

“See?” said Wally. “She gets it,”

“Guess I should be ‘outta here’,”

“Forget I said anything,”

Bendy watched you go, missing the lingering warmth of you from his arms. He gathered his laundry in a daze as he wondered what to do next.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Bendy have a movie night! Then everyone else crashes it.

As the crate opened up, dust fluttered about. Bendy waved it away and picked up the box. He carried it into the cozy living room of his private quarters. A reel to reel movie projector stood in the middle of the room, and a clean white bed sheet was draped over a bookcase. The couch sat between them, pointing towards the sheet. Bendy put the crate full of film reels next to the coffee table as well as paper bags full of unpopped popcorn, expensive salt, and fresh butter.

The rotary phone rang, making the demon jump like a frightened cat. He ran to it and snatched it up. “Yes, hello?”

“Bendy?” came your voice.

“Sweetheart, hey! How’re ya’? I’m gettin’ ready for our movie night!”

“Great, I’m excited to see your old cartoons! But I’m gonna be a little late. I got a flat tire in my bike, so I gotta hoof it there,”

“You get to work on bike?” 

“You didn’t know?”

“No, I jus’ figured you, like, drove here,”

You snorted. “I’d sooner go through the ‘ink machine’ than drive. Driving makes me nervous.”

“Huh,”

“Anyway, I should be there in--”

“Whoa whoa whoa, hold it right there, darlin’! Where are you right now? At home? I’ll send a cab to pick you up,”

“Really?”

“Really!”

“If it’s not too much trouble...thanks, Bendy,”

“You’re welcome, dollface. See you in a bit,”

“Bye, Bendy,”

The demon hung up the phone. He let out a dreamy sigh before he dialed for a different number. “Alice? Are ya’ busy or what?”

“What did you fuck up this time?”

“Wha--nothin’! I need ya’ to pick up ____ and bring her here!”

“You want me to kidnap her? I guess Malice was right when she said you weren’t a gentleman,”

“For the love of-- We’re having a movie night at my place and she doesn’t have a ride,”

There was a pause. “What do you mean by ‘movie night’?”

“Well, we’re gonna sit down and shag. What do you think it means?!”

“...Were you serious or joking?”

Bendy blushed. “N--No, I was joking! Not about wanting to bang her, but about...forget it, just go get ____, alright?”

“Okay, heard you the first time. Want me to pick up some rubbers, too?”

“Go to hell, Alice,”

* * *

 

You followed Alice to Bendy’s office, though you knew the way by heart. However, you blinked curiously when she led you to a door off to the side. You always assumed it was a coat closet, but when it opened, it revealed a whole new room. Small, but not cramped, like an apartment. A tiny kitchen was to the side, and in the center was what appeared to be a living space.

That same space was occupied with a disgruntled Bendy, and the rest of the crew.

“‘Kay, everyone, Bendy’s girlfriend is here, so be on your worst behavior,” said Alice.

“Second that,” Malice took a sip from a beer bottle.

“Oh, come now,” Sammy begged. “Our lord has excellent taste in fine young women!”

Wally Franks grunted and shoved popcorn into his mouth. “You’d defend him if he took a shit on his desk like a dog. No offense, Boris,”

Boris blinked innocently.

You stood there, dumbfounded. You had never seen everyone in one place, nor in such a small space. Raising your hand in a half hearted wave, you said, “Hi, Bendy,”

“‘Ey, darlin’. Lookin’ nice there,” Bendy elbowed Boris and Sammy away from his sides, then patted the couch. “C’mon, have a seat!”

You decide to squeeze yourself between Bendy and Boris. As you idly scratched Boris’s fluffy ears, you saw someone new behind the couch. The inky stranger prepared a projector. They also had a giant projector stuck to its head and hummed...you couldn’t tell if it was the hum of machinery, or a human hum.

“Who’s that?”

“Did I never introduce ya’ to Boreman Polk?” said Bendy.

“Norman,” said the projectionist. “Norman Polk,”

“He’s our projectionist, literally and figuratively. He’s gonna rig up our movies,”

“The projectionist...that’s the person that sets up the reel to reel machine, right?”

Norman nodded.

“Cool. Nice to meet you,”

Norman didn’t respond, and walked towards the light switch. The room went dark, except for the projector flickering white on the sheet. Everyone got quiet and stared at the sheet. You whisper to Bendy, “So we’re watching your old toons, right?”

“Yep. Pardon if you find it a bit narcissistic,”

“I feel like we’ll be watching videos of you as a baby,” 

“...What?”

The film flickered to life. A title screen appeared, reading,

_ JOEY DREW STUDIOS presents _

_ “SNOW SILLIES” _

_ A BENDY CARTOON _

The screen turned white, accompanied with jingle bells. A tiny toon Bendy appeared on the screen. He wore fluffy earmuffs and proceeded to roll up a ball of snow.

“Awww, you’re making a widdle swowman!” you gushed.

Malice and Alice snickered. “Aww, wook, his first steps!”

“And then we’ll see him potty twaining!!”

Bendy blushed angrily. “Shut up,”

Boris’s ears perked up when he appeared on the screen, walking by and eating an armful of carrots, then dropping one. He began to drool.

“You haven’t changed a bit, huh, Boris?” You handed him a bowl of popcorn. 

In the cartoon, Bendy completed a snowman, but the sun suddenly came out, melting it instantly. The carrot nose fell, and Boris came back to eat it. Meanwhile, Bendy’s lip quivered, and tears dribbled down his face.

“Aw, Bendy,” 

Bendy coughed and looked away from you. He reconsidered if showing cartoons of himself was a good idea.

The screen blacked out, and then went white. Norman removed the reel, and picked up a new one.

“That was it?” You ask. “The ones I’ve seen were a  _ little _ longer than that,”

“I starred in all sorts of shorts! Some were short ones like this, and others were a full ten minutes!”

“What about full length films? Like Disney films?”

Bendy grimaced like he swallowed a pickled egg whole. “We do NOT say that name under this roof,”

Wally sighed. “C’mon, boss, it’s been decades. I think we can bury the hatchet now.”

“Still don’t like ‘em,” he crossed his arms.

“Didn’t you once say you had a thing for Snow White--”

“I was drunk and joking! I swear!!” Bendy turned towards you. “Sweetheart, believe me, she does nothing for me! I’ve never jacked off to her, really!”

You stared back, and so did everyone else. Even Norman ceased his humming. Bendy looked around like a frightened animal. “Uh...I...Hey, Norman, I’m not paying you to just stand there!”

Norman resumed his business. You couldn’t help but cover your mouth to contain your laugh, though. “To be fair, I’d be lying if I said I never had a crush on a cartoon character, either,” you whispered.

“What? Who?” Bendy hated how his voice cracked.

“I--I’ll tell you later,”

A hush fell over them, and the next short began. Bendy felt his lips curl into a smile, and he dared to lay his arm behind your shoulders, but not around them. Not yet. As the night progressed, he grew less interested in his old work as he worked up the courage to touch you. His fingers and thumb rubbed together anxiously the entire time. However, just as he gave up, about to retreat his arm, you head fell on his shoulder. He flinched as the temperature in his cheeks skyrocketed. He saw your eyes were closed, and your chest gently rising and falling. 

The demon also saw everyone else nodding off. Boris snoring, and whistling a ‘meemeemeemee’ every time he breathed out. Sammy leaned against his other shoulder, curled into a ball. Even Norman’s head bobbed under the threat of sleep as he stood in the shadows. Trying not to move and disturb you, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pocket watch.

Cheese and rice, it was late.

“Mm?” You mumble. Bendy twitched; did he say that aloud?

“You awake, sweetheart?”

“Barely…” you yawn. “I guess I overstayed my welcome,”

“Nah, it’s fine. But I guess I’d better get you home, huh?”

“Should we wake Alice?” You glance over and see her and Malice leaning against each other, fast asleep.

“Nah, let her have her beauty sleep. I’ll drive ya’ home.”

“You can drive?” You carefully get up.

“Of course I can!” He jumped from his seat, sending Sammy toppling to his side. 

“Zzz--huh? What?”

“Go back to sleep, Sammy. Your lord demands it,”

“Ashuwish…Zzzz,”

“C’mon, doll. Let’s blow this popsicle stand,”

* * *

 

You clung onto the arm rest as Bendy stepped on the gas. As he screeched around a corner, he saw a red light. “Shit!” He slammed on the breaks. You both lurched forward.

“Sorry ‘bout that, doll. Got a lil’ carried away,”

“A little?”

Bendy’s face fell. “Okay, I...I admit, I like to go fast behind the wheel.”

“Just don’t get us killed, and slow down a bit,”

“Ya’ got it,” He coughed. “So...what toons did you have crushes on?”

You nearly choked on your spit. “What?”

“Earlier ya’ said ‘I’d be lying if I said I never had a crush on a cartoon’. And then told me you’d tell me later,”

You crossed your arms. Biting your cheek, you mumble, “Promise not to tell anyone?”

“Promise,”

“Have you seen Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’?”

“Lemme guess; ya’ like that princely fellow?”

“Nope,”

“Is it...Ariel’s father? Neptune? Or was it Poseidon?”

“Not even close,”

“...don’t tell me it’s that tiny ass Jamaican crab,”

“God, no!”

“Well gimme a hint here, doll!”

“...Female,”

Bendy’s mouth made a silent ‘ohhh’. “So you had the hots for Ariel?”

“...Ursula. It was Ursula,”

“What?! That sea witch? That sea  _ bitch?! _ ”

“It was her hips, I swear!” You bury your face in your hands. “It’s not like I ever masturbated to her! I just like softer body types!”

“Huh. On second thought, I can understand that,” His eyes lingered on the soft curves of your own body. How he’d love to caress and kiss every square inch, bury his nose in you to drown in your musk…

“Bendy? The light’s green,”

Bendy binked. He gently accelerated this time. Within minutes, the car pulled up in front of your apartment building.

“Thanks for the ride,”

“Anytime, sweetheart. Give me a call if ya’ need some help with that bike o’ yours, too,” Just as your hand touched the door handle, Bendy brushed his fingers against your other hand. “And...Sorry that the rest of the gang crashed our date. I meant for it to be just us, but Alice heard and told everyone else,”

“I didn't mind. It was nice. They’re like your family,”

“A very dysfunctional one,”

“Wait ‘till you meet mine,”

“I can only imagine how smoothly that would go.” Bendy said in a singsong voice, “‘Hello, Mother! Hello, Father! This is my boyfriend, a sentient cartoon who happens to run an illegal business!’”

You laugh, and add on, “‘I know he’s a demon, but I swear he’s not a bad influence! Oh by the way I’ve converted to Satanism!’”

Bendy broke into a loud guffaw, leaning over the wheel and wheezing between his elbows. Meanwhile you hugged your stomach, aching from all the laughter. As you both regained your breath, you turned your head towards him, and he did the same. You held your breath at how close your lips were. Lean just one inch forward and--

“You’re one dandy lady, ____,” he whispered.

“You’re pretty nice yourself,”

You stared deep into his eyes. His pie cut eyes glistened like polished onyx rocks, a deep shade of ebony. You wonder if he found your own eyes interesting, or if this silent exchange just weirded him out.

“I--I--Um--” Bendy looked away. He scratched his neck and fiddled with his ivory bow tie. “G’night, sweetheart,”

Your fingers grasp the door handle. “Good night, Bendy,” The door clicked open, and your shoes grazed the concrete. You paused. Bendy looked at you, concerned, when you turned around. In the blink of an eye, you pecked his cheek and left the car. As you ran to the entrance of the building, Bendy swore his heart stopped. It wasn’t until a full minute after you disappeared from view did he move. He pulled the car out of park, and drove away.

The whole way home, his cheek tingled where your lips made contact.

* * *

 

“EVERYONE WAKE UP!!” Bendy yelled. “DOLLFACE KISSED ME AND EVERYTHING’S COMIN’ UP ROSES!!”

Everyone jolted awake. Boris yelped and jumped right into Bendy’s arms. The demon grinned even wider and said, “Boris, guess what? Guess who kissed me? Guess!!”

Boris tilted his head.

“It was my sweetheart!! She kissed me! She kissed me!!” His bowtie spun like a plane propeller. “She kissed me right on the cheek! This cheek!!”

“Congratulations,” grumbled Alice, “Now pipe down so we can get some sleep,”

“Alright! But Boris, yer comin’ with me! My lil’ toots likes soft bods, and I need a truckload of your cannolis to fatten me up!”

Boris whimpered, rubbing his heavy eyes.

“Fine, fine, it can wait. But first thing in the morn’, you’re whippin’ up those cannolis!” He dropped Boris back on the couch, then skipped out the door. “Sweet dreams, everyone!” Then the door slammed shut.

Malice opened one eye and said, “Anyone notice how he didn’t kick us outta his room?”

“Haven’t seen him in such a good mood since he discovered Joey Drew was dead,” Alice turned over. “Let’s relish this,”

“Amen,”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You find Bendy...not feeling like himself.

The moment you reached your apartment and shut the door, your face scrunched up in embarrassment. Eyes squeezed tight and blush bright, you scurried to the bathroom and splashed cold water onto your face.

His cheek felt cool against your lips, but not unpleasant. Cool like a breeze on a hot day, and oddly soft and smooth. Thank god you didn’t wear lipstick or else you would have smeared red on his pale face.

You walked towards your bedroom, but your roommates stopped you. Curious, they ask how your date went. They had no idea the nature of Bendy, but knew by you he was a giant softie. You confessed your kiss, and they both squealed in delight. After they wormed out all the juicy details from you, you excused yourself to bed.

The next morning, you woke up from a dream of french kissing the demon. You had the day off, and planned on using it strategizing what you’d say when you saw Bendy again. Gently slapping your face, you swung your legs out of bed to get dressed and take your bike to be fixed.

* * *

 

You rode your bike, the brand new tires rolling against the concrete. You hit the breaks and swung off, walking your bike to the bike rack. As you locked up your bike, you noticed subtle vibrations beneath your feet. It felt like something was hitting the ceiling from below, and was awfully close to Bendy’s office…

“Just Bendy and the gang roughhousing,” you thought. “Probably just a skirmish with Alice,”

Walking around the building and towards the backdoor, you find the door ajar to your surprise. The one rule everyone followed to a tee was to close and lock the door to keep out police and hooligans. Hesitantly, you nudge the door open and peek inside. You gasped.

“Sammy?”

Sammy sat against the wall, head hanging loosely on his chest. You shut the door and knelt by him. “Sammy! Are you awake? Sammy!”

“Ughh...Oh, my head…”

“Sammy, it’s me, are you okay?”

Sammy raised his head. His Bendy mask was bent in half and crooked. You could see part of his face, his jagged mouth in a frown. “Oh, ____, it’s you,”

“What happened?”

“I was going to--to call you to give you the day off, but…” He rubbed his head. “I must have fallen unconscious,”

“Did someone hit you?”

Sammy groaned as he tried to straighten his posture. “Embarrassingly, no. I slipped and hit the wall.” He pointed to the wall behind him, with a giant ink splatter in the loose shape of his silhouette. “However, it’s not safe for you to be here,”

“Why? Is there another fight?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” He pulled off his mask and pressed the crease out of it. You couldn’t see any eyes, ink covering his forehead like thick bangs. “Our lord is...not feeling so well,”

“Bendy?” You grabbed Sammy by the suspenders. “What’s wrong? Where is he?”

Before he could answer, a loud thud reverbatted through the halls. You stood and stepped away from Sammy, eyeing the hallway. More ink splotches decorated the hallway than usual, more chaotic and accompanied with a few scratches against the wood.

You ignore Sammy’s warnings, and ran down the hall. 

You followed the sounds. At one point, one of the ceiling beams fell, missing you by a hair. Along the way, you found an axe laying on the ground. Looked like one of the emergency ones for fires, but the blade was doused in ink. You gulp, and picked it up. You continued, holding the axe like a baseball bat. 

A roar ripped through the air. Every hair on your arms and legs stood on end, and the axe nearly slipped from your grasp. You willed your legs to carry you further. You didn’t let yourself stop until you reached the door to Bendy’s office. It was messily boarded up, and you heard scratching from the other side.

“Bendy? Bendy, are you in there?”

A growl responded.

“Bendy, just tell me you’re in there so I can come in,”

The door buckled, barely contained by the boards. “G--Go…”

“Bendy? That you?”

“I sssaid--grrr-- _ go!!” _

“Go where?”

“GET OUTTA HERE, YA DOLT!!”

You jumped away from the door, but your hands held the axe tighter. “I’m not leaving without you! Now tell me what’s wrong before I break this door down!”

“You can’t--I can’t let y’see me like this,”

“Bendy Demon, if this is about your pride then forget it! I’m comin’ in!”

“No, don’t--!”

“Hnnnng!” You swung the axe at one of the boards. When you pulled back, the blade slipped off, stuck in the wood. “Oh, come on!” You stick the handle behind the boards and pull against it like a crowbar.

Just when the wood was about to give, you lost your balance and fell backwards. Then the door buckled again, and again, until it cracked in half. One more shove, and it collapsed on the floor, sending dust into the air. You rubbed the dust out of your eyes, unaware of the looming shadow growing closer.

When you lowered your hand, you gagged at the stench of ink. Thick blobs of inky matter stood before you, and your eyes trailed upwards until they reached the head. Two pointy horns protruded from the mess, and a wide grimace could only be visible on the face.

“W--Well,” It hissed. “Ya’ see me now. Happy?”

“Bendy?”

“Yeah, it’s me. I’m Bendy the dancin’ demon, see? I’m a demon, a literal monster! See? See?!” He spat ink in your face.

Wiping your cheeks, you said, “Bendy, just--just calm down,”

“Calm down? Why the hell should I calm down? That you’re seein’ me at my worst? At my fucking ugliest?!”

“I--I don’t know!” Tears pricked your eyes. “I just need you to honest to god tell me what happened and what I can do to help!”

Bendy’s posture relaxed. “You’re...you’re not scared of me?”

“Of course I’m scared! I don’t know what’s going on and you’re huge now!” Trembling, you raise your hand to his face. Your fingertips barely brushed against him, giving him the chance to pull away. “But I...I still want to help you.”

You wiped the ink from his face, revealing a charcoal black eye. You wiped off more ink until you could see most of his face, and his expression; he looked on the verge of tears. Those pie cut eyes you gazed into nearly every day glistened, showing your anxious reflection. A tear of black ran down his cheek and under his chin. You gently wiped it away, smearing away the tear stain.

“Does that feel better?” You ask.

His lip quivered. A hiccup, then another, then his tears fell with dull pats. He fell into your chest, bawling. Claws clutched at you, but didn’t prick the skin. He shivered and sniffled, ruining your shirt. 

However, your arms circled around his shoulders and stroked his back. You made soft shushing sounds between your teeth as you waited out the tears.

“D--Didn’t want you t’see me like this,” Bendy hiccuped. “Was afraid you’d---that you’d never come back,”

“I’ll admit, I was scared at first,” 

He sniffled. “Guess me havin’ a temper tantrum didn’t help,”

“I forgive you. Just try to warn me next time,”

Bendy hugged tighter. “You’re a real sweet sweetheart, y’know? So sweet I dunno what I did to deserve you,” 

“If you tell me why and how you’re a monster, that would help,”

“Later,” He nuzzled into your chest.

“Are you putting it off because you’re still feeling bad, or just for an excuse to feel my boobs?” You playfully poked him. You noticed he shrunk in size, and continued to gradually shrink. He curled in his legs and purred, reminding you of a cat. His tail wrapped around his body before it melted away, and the transformation to his tiny toon form was complete.

“Bendy?” You whisper. To your surprise, he began to snore, and whistling on the exhale, just like in a cartoon. Honestly, adorable. You got to your feet, holding Bendy close to your chest. It felt like carrying a large stuffed animal. As you finally stood, you saw Sammy run and trip towards you.

“____, are you...oh my goodness, is that…?”

“Your lord, sleeping in my arms like a baby? Yes,”

Sammy hopped from one foot to the other in delight. “Oh, that is simply adorable,” He calmed himself. “It appears he’s been sated as well,”

“Yeah. What caused him to go all...big and stuff?”

“Oh, he only gets like that when he’s feeling especially unwell, or his body is put under extreme stress,”

“So...which was it?”

“Just a simple tummy ache,”

“...Seriously?”

“Why, yes, it was a serious one. Once he returned after your last date, he insisted on fattening himself up. Something about ‘soft bodies’...?”

Your stomach sank with its own tummy ache.

“Anyway, he had a few cannolis too many. Boris made dozens of them!”

“Dozens?!”

Sammy shrugged. “My lord just kept asking for more! Who are we to deny him?”

“Um, when it causes harm to our lord? He could get sick!” You held Bendy closer. “If he wanted to jump off a cliff, would you let him?”

Sammy cowered. “Um, well, I’d obviously...”

You sigh. “At this rate, I’ll turn from Bendy’s girlfriend to his and everyone’s mom,” You turn away. “I’m gonna put Bendy on his couch so he can sleep. Then I’m going home,”

“What? Why?”

“I didn’t create this mess, I’m not gonna clean it up. Besides, didn’t you say you were going to give me the day off?”

He sighed. “I did, indeed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for all your patience, I'm still getting back into the swing of college! Sorry Bendy didn't get thicc in this chapter, but maybe he will in a later one lol


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bendy throws a make up dinner for you, but some questions are raised...

“Hoo, boy…” muttered Bendy, pacing back and forth. He glanced at the table in the private alcove where you almost had your first dinner together. The white table cloth was replaced with a red checkered one to look more casual. A vase with a single rose replaced the lit candle. Instead of moonlight, the sun illuminated the space with warmth. 

Bendy gnawed at his nails through his gloves. He fucked up, he fucked up three times. First the interrupted dinner date, then the gang crashing movie night, and now his monstrous breakdown. He thanked whatever gods were up above that you forgave him, let alone stood by him, but he still wanted to make it up to you. He made dozens of calls, called in even more favors, and pulled every string to carve out an entire day for this. Just this, for you.

“My lord?”

He spun around. Sammy stood at the edge of the room, with you right behind him. You wore the same dress from that first date, and his heart stopped. He nearly forgot how lovely you looked in it…

“Your lady has arrived,” Sammy bowed and ushed you forward. You walked closer to Bendy, the heels of your shoes making soft clicks with each step. Bendy didn’t even notice Sammy leave, instead focused on you.

“H--Hey, sweetheart,”

“Are you okay?”

“‘Course I am! Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Last time I saw you you turned into a giant after eating too many cannolis,”

He awkwardly chuckled. “Yeahhh, wasn’t my brightest moment. But I’m fine now!”

“You sure? I don’t want you getting sick again,”

“I’m an adult, sweetie, I can take care of myself,” He coughed, “Most of the time.” He placed a hand on your back and guided you to the table. “C’mon, I wanna make all this up to ya’. I carved out the whole day for you, no interruptions, no nothin’. Have a seat, darlin’,”

He pulled out a chair, and you sat down. Then he sat opposite of you, just like the first date. Raising his fingers to his mouth, he let out a sharp whistle. Boris ran in from the corner carrying a wide covered silver tray. Screeching to a halt, he removed the cover. A plate of steaming pasta with fresh tomato sauce sat on it. Your mouth watered.

“You, ah, never did get your pasta from our dinner date, so…” Bendy scratched his cheek. “Hey, uh, Boris, where’s my grub?”

Boris winked. He placed the plate smack in the middle between you two. As he placed silverware in front of each of you, both of your faces flushed.

“Are you gonna make us ‘Lady and the Tramp’ this pasta?” you asked.

“Boris, this wasn’t part of the plan,” Bendy hissed through grit teeth.

The wolf didn’t respond. Once the table was set, he turned and left with his tail wagging. 

Left alone with the pasta, you gulped. You unfurled your napkin and obtained a fork and knife. Your knife dug into the pasta and sliced through them. “If we cut it up enough, we can avoid getting each other’s mouthful,”

“Darlin’, you’re a genius!” He pulled out his own silverware like weapons and stabbed at his side of spaghetti.

“Either that,” You twist a forkful of spaghetti and raise it to your mouth, “or we stick this through a paper shredder,” then stuck it into your mouth. Your eyes lit up. “Mmm! S’good!”

“Boris is good at cookin’, as long as he isn’t allowed to eat on the job. Then he eats all the stuff he cooks!” Bendy took a bite, chewing as he let his eyes fall onto you. He adored the stars in your eyes as you took another mouthful, and the pleased hum as you slurped up a strand of pasta. The sounds you were making, and the bliss on your face, it was almost...orgasmic.

“What? Is there sauce on my face already?”

Bendy swallowed. “Nah, nah, just...just thinking,”

You shoved another forkful into your mouth. After chewing, you said, “Boris cooks everything here, right?”

“Yep,”

“Did he cook in the original toons? I can only remember him eating everything in sight,”

“Sorta...He taught himself how after we…we became ‘real’,” Bendy stared at his reflection in his unused spoon. “We all taught ourselves some things when that happened…”

“...how?”

“How what?”

“How did you guys go from...from 2-D to 3-D?” You poked at the food. “If you don’t mind me asking, that is…”

Bendy’s fork hung in the air, and the pasta on it fell with a dull thwap.

“Is it, um, not dinner table conversation?”

“Ummm…” Bendy twisted his fork in the pasta. “Y’see...Hey, tell you what. You tell me how you were born and then I’ll tell you!” He raised his fork with a ball of spaghetti the size of a tennis ball.

Your face fell in shock. Bendy’s face didn’t know if it should gain or lose color. He shoved the food into his mouth to keep his big mouth busy.

“Well, first my parents met in college, then graduated, got married, and finally had sex without protection. Now here I am,”

He coughed, blushing profusely. “S--Say what now?”

“You asked! And to clear things up, my parents planned to have me; the way I worded it made it sound like I was an accident,”

“I...Well, that’s good to know?”

“So I guess it’s your turn?”

“To what?”

“To  _ illustrate _ the details of your birth,” 

“Was that pun intended?”

You snicker, “Maybe. But it can wait until after dinner if you’re not comfortable,”

“I’d...appreciate that,”

A silence settled around you, a comfortable silence as you both slurped up spaghetti. The peace relaxed your muscles, and the air almost felt...domestic. You and Bendy, having lunch together in the middle of a busy week, finding solace.

The pasta suddenly tugged against your lips in resistance. You squeezed your eyes and concentrated on slurping as hard as you could. When your head was pulled forward, you opened your eyes and your heart skipped a beat.

Bendy had the other end of the strand, mirroring your actions, lips freezing. The pasta separated your mouths by five inches. You could smell his cologne, a mixture of pine cones and mint.

“Oh go’, we rrly ‘r ldy n trmpng rrrt nw,” You mumble with angel hair pasta between your teeth.

“Wha?”

You grabbed the pasta between your fingers, bit down, and pulled it away from your lips.  “One more slurp and we would have Lady and Tramped that,”

Bendy nodded, refusing to let go.

“...do you want to?”

Bendy blushed.

“Like, I can just stick it back in my mouth and...tell you what, just bite off if you don’t want to because I don’t want to waste food,” You placed your end back between your lips and waited. Poor Bendy, he stared at you like you just told him to sacrifice his first newborn. Maybe this was a bad idea, you should let go and change the subject.

Just then, Bendy bit down. You didn’t eat up the rest immediately, instead staring at Bendy burying his face in his hands.

You quickly chewed and swallowed. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have pressured you or--”

“Nnnno, that’s not it,” Bendy peeked between his fingers. “It’s just...I can’t bring myself to do it yet,”

“Does that mean...oh god, you probably hate me,”

Bendy’s hands fell. “What? Why the hell you think that?”

“Remember? I kissed you on the cheek after our last date? Without permission?”

“Oh nonono, don’t worry ‘bout that! I loved it!” He coughed. “I--I mean...it was nice. A--And it was just a peck on the cheek, not like you slapped my ass!”

“I feel like if I slapped your ass it would explode in ink. Like, two water balloons full of ink,”

Bendy snickered. “You seriously think that?”

“I dunno. I have no idea if you’re one hundred percent ink or not,”

He smiled, but a twinge of sadness settled on his face, like gray clouds partially covering the sun. “There’s actually...something I’ve been meaning to tell you. About that.”

“That you’re a giant blob of ink in the shape of a person?”

“Not quite,” He looked at you dead in the eye. “I’m not one hundred percent ink, darlin’,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait folks, college is bombarding me with stress and homework! Hopefully this cliffhanger will keep y'all sated until next time


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bendy opens up about his past, as well as how he came into being.

The wooden steps creaked under your and Bendy’s weights. Prior, he led you to a backroom you never knew existed, and opened a door disguised as a bureau. You assumed it was a basement to the already underground cabaret, but these hallways looked different compared to above. Dust and cobwebs took over whatever nook and cranny in sight, and the walls were littered with pipes full of black, and faded movie posters. You looked closer, and saw they were for cartoons, not movies. And the furniture left behind, artists desks and antique animation equipment...

“This here, doll, is what’s left of Joey Drew Animation Studio,” said Bendy.

“Wait--here? This was where your cartoons were made?”

He nodded. “Upstairs used to be, too, but we renovated it for my establishment.” He turned around a corner. “This is where I was brought to life,”

“You mean animated, or literally brought to life?”

“Both,” He curled his finger in a ‘come here’ motion. 

You followed him to a large room with a gaping pit in the middle. Four thick, rusty chains extended below, and Bendy stood next to a lever on the wall. It was once labeled, but the paint peeled away. 

“Cover your ears, this is gonna get loud,” He warned, then flipped the switch. Immediately, the chains tightened, and a roar of machinery cut through the air. You plugged your fingers into your ears as you stared at the pit. The chains grew taut and pulled something upwards. Your mouth gaped when it came into view; a giant machine suspended by the chains. It was mostly cubeish in shape, with the biggest tank of ink you had ever seen, and an even bigger faucet. Gears protruded from nooks and crannies, greasy with what you assumed was oil...or more ink. 

“Wh...What is that?”

“This, sweetheart, is the cursed ink machine,”

You whipped your head towards him. “The ink machine? So, that saying of ‘putting someone through the ink machine’...?”

Bendy’s face was numb. “It’s based on truth. This thing.”

“What does it do…? Make ink?”

“I wish,” Bendy glanced at the machine, but looked away quickly. “The simple explanation is this; you put souls or people in, and they turn into inky abominations,”

“D--Does it kill them?”

“Nah; it does the opposite. If you put in a person without a soul--”

“Like...someone dead?”

“Yeah, what comes out is a ink person with no memory of their previous life. We nickname it ‘rebirth’,”

“And if the person is alive…?”

“That’s when it gets...unpredictable,” Bendy scratched his neck. “Results vary depending on the person. Y’know Alice and Malice?”

“Yeah?”

“They were both voice actors for Alice Angel,”

“But...not everyone looks like characters from the show. Like Wally, or Norman, or Sa--oh god.”

“What?”

“Sammy, he...one time I asked him about why he didn’t look like a cartoon character, and he told me he ‘wasn’t a work of fiction’,” Your mouth went dry. “So was he…”

“He used to work in the music department. Wrote all the songs in my shows. Technically still does,”

“So everyone who works here...they used to work on your cartoons?”

“Not  _ everybody.  _ Y’know those ‘searchers’? Ink peeps without legs?”

“Yeah?”

“Most of them...weren’t from the studio,”

You cover your mouth in horror. “You...you killed--?!”

“No!! Nonono, we have a strict no-kill policy here!” Bendy waved his hands frantically. “I mean, people are more useful alive anyway…” He cleared his throat. “But they were dead by the time we...got to the scene,”

“Oh…” You lowered your hands, but your heart still grew tight. “What about you?”

“Whadda ‘bout me?”

“Who...were you? Before you became Bendy?” You paused in thought. “You didn’t have a voice actor, so it can’t be like Alice or Malice…”

Bendy rubbed his arm. “To be honest, I’m not really sure. I’m just glad it’s not Joey Drew,”

“The guy who created this studio?”

“Yep. I feared I was that son of a bitch for the longest time, until I found a headline that he died. God, what a relief,”

“Why?”

Bendy swallowed, trying not to puke. “You have no idea what sorta twisted things he did. To the studio. To us.”

“Oh…”

“Ah, it’s okay. You didn’t know, hardly anyone else does, either. Least, not anyone that didn’t work here.” His expression darkened. “Especially Henry,”

“Who?”

“Henry. One of the best animators of Joey Drew Studios. And one who took the worst of Joey Drew’s abuse.” Bendy leaned against the wall as if his knees gave out. “I can’t even remember his full name, damn it,”

“Is he--? Was he...you?”

“I suspect, but have no way of knowin’. Whatever’s left of whoever I was is stuck in here,” He stuck his fingers to his skin, sinking into the inky flesh. They came back tacky, dripping ink. He scolded himself, he wanted to keep himself together for this.

To his surprise, your hands wrapped around his sticky hand. You gazed up at him. “Why are you telling me this…?”

Bendy’s heart ached. His heart was as pure as ink, and yet here he was, with you, with a heart of gold. God, he wished he could kiss you without guilt. “I...Just felt like you have the right to know. Before you...k--kissed me,” He blushed.

Your fingers gently rubbed his, feeling every crevice. Flesh wiped away ink, glide past smooth white glove. Your fingertips dwarfed compared to his. He worked up the courage to fight the numbness in his veins and feel your hands. The grooves of bony knuckles, the smooth heel of your palm, the short trimmed nails. One of those hands raised to his face, and came back coated in ink.

“You okay?”

He leaned down and clutched at you like a lifeline. You returned his actions, wrapping your arms around his back. A low, rumbling purr emanated from the demon as he buried his face into your hair. You smelled lovely, a calming cocktail of lavender and daisies. And your curves pressed against his, radiating an intimate warmth. He could even feel your heartbeat, a steady beat, a reminder that you were alive. Your head settled against his chest, and you wonder if you could hear his heartbeat.

You did, and listened intently. The fabric of his white button up felt smooth against your cheek, but the rest of him was soft and gelatinous, but not in an uncomfortable way. You squeezed him, and his body gave like a teddy bear. A low purr rumbled from his throat, and it gradually grew in volume.

“Bendy?”

“Mm?”

“You’re not gonna put me through the machine, are you?”

Bendy let go with his mouth agape. “Fuck no! You’re the last person I want to put through that. You’re the last person who  _ deserves _ it,”

“Who’s the first person?”

Bendy purred in thought. “It’s a tie between Alice and Malice,”

Your ears picked up on whispers from outside the room. Both of you looked up and saw Alice, Malice, Boris, and Sammy peeking at you from the edge of the doorway.

“Guys?” You cried, “What are you doing here?”

“Eavesdropping,” said Malice. “What does it look like? Also I can’t believe you’d rather put me and Alice in the ink machine than Joey. Guess I owe Sammy twenty bucks,”

Alice added, “You don’t sound sad about it,”

“Nah, it was worth it seeing these two bond,”

Bendy growled, baring fangs. “Would it kill you guys to give us two damn minutes of privacy?” He hissed while you did a facepalm. You were too used to these by now to be embarrassed.

Sammy stepped out and cried, “I--I tried to stop them, my lord! I did everything in my power to--”

“Sammy, it’s fine,” You cut in. “At least, I forgive you. Don’t know about your lord here, though,”

Sammy looked on the verge of a literal meltdown. He fell to his knees and bowed, babbling, “My lord, please forgive me, please please please!!”

Bendy narrowed his eyes. “Drag yourself and the others outta here before I kick you all out, then we’ll talk,”

“Yes, my lord!” Sammy jumped to his feet. He then pulled out a cello from seemingly nowhere. He glared at Alice and the others. “You heard our lord, leave this place!”

Boris yelped and scampered away, the two angels following him, and Sammy hot on their heels, wielding the cello like a club. When you could no longer hear their footsteps or their cries, you turned towards Bendy.

“Where did Sammy pull that cello from?”

“Outta his ass, I guess,”

You snicker. “So does he fart out instruments on a regular basis, or what?”

Snorting, Bendy shrugged. “Either that or he’s mastered teleportation. Who knows?”

“Speaking of teleportation...does this mean we should ‘teleport’ out of here?”

“As a dumb jainitor once said, we’re ‘outta here’!”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get sick. Bendy tries to take care of you.

When you and Bendy left the cabaret, it was pouring rain. Even worse, The Butcher’s Gang took Bendy’s car for a ‘joyride’, so all he could do was walk you home with an old umbrella. You huddled under his raincoat for warmth, but still shivered the entire way home.

* * *

 

Bendy picked up the phone with a groggy, “Whaddya want at this hour?”

“Bendy, it’s-- _ cough,cough _ \--it’s me,”

He shot out from bed. “Dollface! What’s wrong? You sound like a frog!”

“Sorry, I got a frog in my throat. As in I-- _ cough _ \--caught a cold,”

“Wha--you’re sick? Since when? How?”

Sniffling, you say, “I dunno, but I can’t come in today,”

Bendy’s face suddenly fell. The other day you walked home in the rain… “Hell no you can’t! No way I’m letting you work like that!”

“Good...Thanks, Bendy,”

“Wait--where are ya’? Anythin’ I can do to help?”

“I’m at home, but you don’t have t--ah...ah...AH-CHOO!”

Bendy blushed; oh gosh, your sneeze was cute. But he shook his head and said, “Stay where you are, I’m comin’ over,”

“What? Why? I’m sick!”

“Exactly! You’re sick and I gotta take care of ya’! Just hang tight, I’ll be there in a few!”

“Bendy, wa--”

He slammed down the phone and jumped out of bed, scrambling out of his pajamas.

* * *

 

You splashed warm water on your face. The water dripped down your chin and to the white porcelain sink, as pale as your face. You raised your face to the mirror, frowning. Your nose was rubbed raw from blowing your nose, and the rest of your body felt full of molasses, slowing your movements. Running a head through your bedhead, you turned away and walked towards the fridge for some water. Always stay hydrated, that’s what your mom always said…

Someone banged behind the front door. “___! You in there, sweetheart?”

“Are you kidding me,” You mutter. You walked to the door and looked through the peephole. Sure enough, a pair of pie cut eyes glared back.

Sighing, you cracked open the door. “Hey, Bendy,”

“Sweetheart! How’re ya’ feeling?”

“Not great, and I don’t want you to feel like that, either,”

Bendy reached for the door to pry it open. “Good thing I’m not one hundred percent bone fine human! I don’t get sick, doll, so let me in to take care of ya’!...Please?”

You sighed. “M’kay,” stepping aside and opening the door. Bendy marched past you, followed by Boris with an armful of cooking materials. “Hey, Boris.” A hand suddenly gripped at the back of your shirt and dragged you away the door.

“C’mon, darlin’, let’s get ya’ to bed. Where’s your room?”

“It’s the second to the right. You don’t have to drag me,”

“You’re right,” He tipped you back and wrapped his arms under you, scooping you up and carrying you bridal style. You tried to protest, but you broke into coughs. Bendy finds your room and gently places you on your messy bed.

As he tucks you in to the chin, you whine, “You don’t have to do all this, Bendy. Really,”

“Well, I don’t have to neglect you, yet here we are. I wanna do this, sweetheart. Lemme take care of you,” He kneeled next to the bed. “Please?”

You furrowed your brows and bit your lip. Finally, you sighed. “It’s not that I’m against you taking care of me,”

“What’s wrong, then?”

“It’s the fact you barged into my pad. I’m...I’m not ready to introduce you to my roommates,”

“Oh,” Bendy avoided eye contact. “Speakin’ of them, where are they?”

“One’s out of town, and the other’s at work,”

“Why aren’t they taking care of you?”

“I’m their roommate, not their kid! I’m not their responsibility,” you sniffled. 

As Bendy handed you a box of tissues, he said, “Guess that’s fair. But you can take it easy now; ol’ Bendy and Boris will take care of everything,”

“You’re not gonna engage in shenanigans like an old cartoon and destroy my kitchen, are you?”

“What? ‘Course not!” Bendy leaned back, offended.

“Okay...but if you break anything, you owe me,” You yawned. “After I get some rest…”

“Right you are,” He stood up. Then he reached inside his back pocket and pulled out a tiny bell. Placing it on your nightstand, he said, “Give this lil’ thing a ring if you need me, okay?”

You mumble acknowledgement. Bendy exited the room, turning off the light and closing the door as quietly as possible. He tiptoed away and towards the kitchen. Boris stood in front of the stove, lighting the burner. After a few crackles, blue flame flickered to life. A pot of water sat atop it, beginning to boil. 

“So watcha makin’, buddy? Pasta?”

Boris shook his head. He pointed to ingredients spread across the tiny counter; vegetables, milk, and a packet of frozen bacon, all fished out of your fridge and pantry.

“Ohhh you’re makin’ bacon soup!”

Boris nodded.

“Good! Good soup is good when you’re sick...I think,” 

Boris tore the bacon packet open with his teeth. Once open, he began to drool. Bendy’s eyebrows shot up and he snatched it away.

“Oh no you don’t! No eatin’ my sweetheart’s stuff! At this rate I’ll be the one cookin’ instead of you!”

Boris stared at him quizzically.

“What? I can cook!” After a pregnant pause, his face melted into shock. “...Oh, crap. I don’t know how to cook shit.” His eyes widened. “How the hell am I gonna provide for her if I can’t even cook one meal?!” He grabbed Boris’s shoulders and shook him. “Boris, ya’ gotta help me! Teach me how to cook! Right now!!”

* * *

 

After two hours of pots and pans clashing together, ingredients spilling, and water burning, Bendy placed the pot lid over a perfect pot of bacon soup to simmer. “Phew, finally,” He patted Boris on the back. “Thanks a lot buddy. Can always count on you,”

Boris barked, tail wagging, and licked Bendy’s cheek.

The demon chuckled, “Knock it off, Boris! That tickles!”

Boris laughed along, a barking kind of laugh. Their laughter was almost loud enough to not hear the front door opening.

They held their breaths. The demon dared to peek over his shoulder. A young woman he had never seen before stood in the doorway. She gaped at them, absently dropping her purse with a dull thud. For the longest minute, they stared at each other, neither daring to blink.

A faint ringing came from your room.

“BorisyoutakecareofthiswhileIseemysweetheartkaybye,” Bendy shoved Boris towards the woman before he made a dash towards your room. He screeched to a stop at your door, and shoved his head inside. “Hey, darlin’! Whatcha need?”

“Hey, Bendy,” you croaked. With one hand you put down the bell, and with the other you held up an empty glass. “Can you get me some water, please?”

“Sure thing, sweetie,” He picked up the glass. Your hands felt warm; not pleasantly, but feverish. Humming, he held the back of his hand to your forehead. Though your skin was pale, your skin was hot. Sweat soaked into his glove. “Geezus, you’re burnin’ up! You sure you just have a cold?”

You shrugged.

“I’ll get your water, and somethin’ to bring your fever down. Like a...a wet washcloth or somethin’,” 

“M’kay,”

Bendy tucked you back in. This time he lingered on your face. Your eyes closed, your mouth frowning, subtle wrinkles hinting to your pain. A pang shot through his heart. He gently stroked through your sweaty bangs. 

A rapping came from the door.

“Shhh!” Bendy shushed, turning around. His eyes widened when he saw the woman stand there, with an eyebrow raised. She gestured for him to follow her. He huffed and stood. Just before he walked away, he gave you one last glance. As gently as he could, he pulled the covers up to your shoulders. And then he reluctantly left.

* * *

 

When you opened your eyes, the sun no longer shone from behind your blinds. Instead, twilight leaked between the curtains, bathing your room in a pale glow. As you sniffled, you felt something shift atop your forehead. Reaching up, you dragged away a damp, cool washcloth. 

“Hey,” came a voice.

You turned your head and saw Bendy in a chair besides you bed. “‘Bout time you came around,” He handed you a glass of water.

You sluggishly sat up, then leaned forward to reach the water. The glass felt freezing against your feverish skin, you almost dropped it. As you sipped, Bendy tilted his head and ask, “Feelin’ any better,”

“Lil’,” You mumble. 

“Oh, hey, your roomie told me to give ya’ these,” He placed a couple of pills in your other hand. “Said they’d bring down your fever,”

You put them on your tongue, then washed them down with the rest of your water. Sighing when it emptied, you moved to put it back on your nightstand, but Bendy reached for it.

“Lemme get you some more,” He stood from the chair. 

“Bendy?”

He stopped. “Yeah?”

“What did she say? About you?”

Bendy scratched his head. “She asked if Boris and I were ‘furries’, whatever that means. Y’know what that means?”

You snorted, sending a new wave of snot out of your nose. After your blew your nose, still chuckling, you said, “I’ll tell you once you bring me my water,”

“Alright,” He turned away. “She did warn me to treat you right ‘n stuff, too,”

“I’m the youngest here, so I guess they view me as the little sister of the group,”

“Ya’ don’t say...Anyhow, be right back,”

* * *

 

As twilight melted into moonlight, Bendy sat by your side as you sipped at your water and bacon soup. He nearly fell out of his seat after your explanation of what a ‘furry’ was, aghast that someone would mistake him as such a thing. However, it left your voice sore, so Bendy filled the silence with his own voice, stories from his days as a cartoon, and how Wally was caught with toilet paper stuck to his feet for an entire day one time. Your laugh was music to his ears, even through your wretched throat.

Just before he finished his story of a food fight in his establishment, Boris walked in and poked Bendy on the shoulder. Whimpering, he pulled at Bendy’s sleeve. 

“Can’t this wait, buddy?”

Boris shook his head.

“Fine,” he sighed, stood and said, “Be right back, sweetheart,”

“‘Kay,”

Boris led Bendy out of your room and towards a window in the living room. Pebbles hit the window, and Bendy scowled. He opened the window, but before he could yell insults, a pebble hit him square in the forehead.

“OW! The hell?!”

“The hell are you still doing here?!” screeched a voice.

“Alice?!” Bendy gawed. She stood there, a good sized rock in her hand. “Why are you here vandalizing’ property when you should be working?”

“Why are  _ you _ sitting on your ass here all day when  _ you _ should be working?”

“In case you haven’t noticed, I’m nursing ____ back to health! She’s got a fever!”

“You said it was just a cold and would be right back!”

“Well, one, it’s also a cold! I’m pretty sure you can have both at the same time! And two, I just said that to get you off my back!!”

Alice slapped her face. “For crying out loud… Get down here so we can talk this out!”

“You get up here, then we talk!”

“Get  _ down _ here!”

“Get  _ up _ here!!”

The neighboring apartments began stirring, lights flickering, and complaints brewing. One to the left opened the window and an balding man in striped pajamas barked, “Keep it down, you millennials! People’ll trying to sleep here!”

Bendy sneered, “I have no idea what a milenia is but I’m not shutting up until--” Suddenly, a pair of arms snatched him back inside and shut the window. “What the fu--” He came face to face with the roommate, who glared at him square in the eyes. Thought her lips were sealed, her silence spoke volumes, and it sent a shiver down Bendy’s spine. He gulped. 

“A--Alright, I get it, I get it,” The demon backed in the direction of your room. “Boris, tell crazy eyes here how to reheat that bacon soup for later. I’m gonna tell sweetheart good night.” He marched away, still feeling the woman’s gaze on his back. No doubt Alice would too if she could see him. He cracked open the door and whispered your name.

Your eyes were closed, chest moving in a steady rhythm. Bendy crept closer until he stood at your bedside.

“Hey, dollface, I gotta run. I’ll be back soon as I can. Get some rest in the meantime, doll,” He caressed your cheek, then your bangs. He knelt on one knee, leaned over, and ghosted his lips against your forehead for barely a moment. Then he shot up, blushing, and scurried out the room with his tail between his legs. 

You stirred, but then turned to your side, diving back into your dream.

* * *

 

Bendy chewed on a toothpick as he sat in the passenger seat. As Alice drove, he stared out the car window. He brushed his tongue against his lips, remembering how your skin felt against his lips…

“Bendy? Are you even listening?” said Alice.

The demon blinked out of his trance. “Huh?”

Alice sighed. “I said there’s been a huge ink leak and it flooded the ballroom,”

“You pulled me away from taking care of my sweetheart because of a little ink spill?”

“It flooded the ballroom. And the bathrooms. And your office.”

“Good thing I have black carpet in my office then,”

“Dozens of ‘clients’ were furious. Shoes stained, pants ruined, and I’ve had to deal with all that and your responsibilities,”

“Did a fight break out?”

“No, Sammy somehow talked some reason into them. But the place is a mess and we need  _ your _ help,”

“Why not just make Wally clean it up? What else are we paying him for?”

“This one’s just too big for one person, Bendy. And bossing you around is a great stress reliever,”

“Gee, thanks,”

“...How’s ____, by the way?”

Bendy’s posture relaxed. “She’s feeling crummy, but I made her some bacon soup--”

“Wait;  _ you _ made her soup?”

“Boris taught me!” He pointed at Boris in the backseat.

“Since when do you cook?”

“Since today! I’m a natural!”

Boris gave him a look, and Bendy coughed. “Okay, okay, I got it right on the third try. Happy?”

Boris grinned, leaned over and licked Bendy’s cheek.

“Knock it off, buddy! You’ll get slobber everywhere!” He shoved Boris’s head away. 

Meanwhile, Alice wore a peculiar smirk on her face. Suspicious, Bendy said, “What?”

“Oh, nothing,” She trained her eyes back on the road, smirk remaining.

“No, spit it out. Do I have slobber on my shirt? Or bacon? Is it about me cooking?”

Alice gave him a sideways glance. 

“So what? I can cook bacon soup, big deal,”

“Oh,” She began in a sing song casual tone, “I just think it’s sweet you taught your stubborn self to do something new for your girlfriend,”

“Pah. Big deal,”

“You’re sweet on her,”

“So?”

“You got it bad for her,”

“It’s not a crime to love your girlfriend!”

Alice’s eyes widened.

“What? I love my--oh,” Bendy’s eyes widened. He touched his lips, disbelieving what he just said. “I...I just...Wow,”

“It’s about time you admitted that,”

“But isn’t it, well, isn’t it too soon for me to say that kinda thing? We’ve only been dating for like, three months!”

“And known each other for five. I’d say that’s a good enough amount of time to say the L-word. Besides, it’s not like you’re deciding on marrying her,”

“...”

“...Bendy?”

“It was one time!” He barked, “One time I fantasized what it’d be like if we lived under the same roof!”

Boris leaned forward and tilted his head. He curiously whined on Bendy’s shoulder.

“Want the details? Well, they’re nothing juicy, just...domestic shit,”

“Do I get an invite to the wedding?” asked Alice.

“Over my dead body,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update, exams and papers came up and my brain is still recovering. I didn't proofread this so...hopefully there aren't too many grammar mistakes ^^;


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang discovers your hobby; drawing. This interests Bendy and the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so SO sorry for the late chapter! I've been so busy with school, my mental health has been all over the place, and writing so. many. essays. I fear the updates will be less frequent in the future, but I'll do my best!

Work resumed as usual when you recovered. By that time, the place was spotless to your surprise. Bendy greeted you with a bear hug, spinning you through the air. After that, you fell back into your routine. 

Between calls, you took up doodling. Bendy gifted you with a brand new sketchbook to help pass the time while you were sick, and you put it to good use. Eraser dust covered the floor as you idly colored in a sketch of a rose. You found flowers oddly relaxing to draw.

“Hey,” came a voice.

You looked up. Malice leaned against your desk.

“What’re you drawing?”

“Eh, flowers,” You shrug. “I like to draw them when I don’t know what to draw,”

“What else do you draw?”

“People sometimes, but my anatomy still sucks,”

“Can I see?”

You bit your lip. “I’d...rather not. Some are kinda...private,”

Malice tilted her head with a mischievous grin. “Drawings of Bendy’s dick?”

“No--wait, he has one?”

Malice’s face fell. “I...think so?”

“I thought he just had something to...use the bathroom with, and that’s it. Not like I’ve gotten a good look at him down there,”

“Didn’t you walk in on him using the bathroom one time?”

“Yeah, but he said he could ‘conceal’ his junk when he needed to. So maybe he can...suck it in, I guess? Like dolphins?” You scratched your head with both hands. “I don’t think I should be discussing my boyfriend’s ding dong with a coworker,”

“How big do you think it is?”

“Malice!!”

She chuckled. Just before she could reply, the front door slammed open. Three tiny ink monsters scurried inside, giggling. They startled you; one had it’s entire head hanging by a thread, swaying wildly. One held a folded pair of overalls, and they ran right past your desk. A second later, Sammy ran in, holding a towel around his waist and crying, “Get back here, you insolent idiots!” He hit the desk as he passed. With a yelp, you failed your arms to grab whatever you could before it could fall. Your sketchbook, however, slipped from your grasp.

“Aw, man!” Once the desk settled, you walked around it to pick the sketchbook up. Your fingers brushed against it when it was snatched away. “Huh?” You look up; it was the decapitated little monster. He stared at a random page, then giggled. You reach for it back, but he ran away with it.

“Hey! That’s mine!” You run after it. “Malice, help me!”

“...Nah,”

You grunt, but continued chasing the inkling. You panted as you ran, arms outstretched, hot on the little gremlin’s heels. Grasping the air in front of you, you reached for it again and again, but he would always gain a spurt of speed at the last second. In a fit of desperation, you leapt forward, tackling him to the ground. The sketchbook slipped from his hands and fell away, opening to a random page. You crawled over him and reached out, but a pair of white gloved hands picked it up before you could reach it. You looked up and saw Bendy staring at a page.

His eyes went as wide as dinner plates.

“Bendy!”

He looked down. “Oh! Sweetheart!” Bending down, he helped you up, kicking the ink monster away. “Get outta here, you wrecking ball!” As it scampered away, he said, “Was the Butcher’s Gang causing you trouble?”

“I--I don’t think I’ve ever seen them before. Not even in the cartoons.”

“Well, they did censor a few of our shows thanks to those guys. Anyway, was he giving you a hard time? Because just say the word, and I’ll give him a knuckle sandwich right in the kisser!”

You grabbed your sketchbook from his hands and folded it under your arm. “He just barged in and took my sketchbook,”

Bendy’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh. So, um, you...ah, draw in it?”

You sighed. “What page did you see?”

“Uh...naked people,”

Pulling the sketchbook up, you hit your forehead against the cover, groaning. “Sorry, I’m just trying to practice my anatomy.”

“The fig leaves are nice touches,”

The sketchbook lowered. “You think?”

“Yeah. Actually looked pretty realistic. Not that your anatomy sucks or anything!”

“I just draw plants and flowers more,”

“Really?” He tilted his head; honestly, you found it adorable. “You’ve been dating a literal toon and you never told me you liked to draw?”

“Not like I’m a professional or anything,”

“Well, lemme tell you something, doll,” He looped an arm around your shoulders and pulled you close. “From what I’ve seen, I like what I see. And trying to draw something you don’t usually draw takes serious guts,”

“Really?”

“Really! Take it from a toon,”

“Do you draw?”

Bendy stared at his shoes. “Well, used to. Don’t really draw much anymore.”

“Why not? Do you have arthritis?”

He snorted. “Pretty sure I’m immune to that. But no, not cause of that; just been busy ‘n kinda lost interest.” His face lit up. “But now that I know you like it, I wanna get back into it,”

“How? Are you gonna ask to draw me like your french girls?”

“...huh?” Bendy’s face scrunched in confusion.

“It’s...It’s from a movie. I think. I just know it has to do with The Titanic and ‘draw like your french girls’ means drawing naked people,”

Blushing, he said, “Oh,”

“S’fine, I’m just teasing,” You pat him on the back. “The look on your face though--pfft!”

Bendy chuckled along, the back of his mind filled with the idea of drawing you. Maybe draped in a white sheet, like a toga, tastefully covering your privates. Or in your tailored, colorful dress as you spin around. Perhaps of you lying prone on his bed, half asleep, clothes wrinkled by sleep…

He never wanted a pencil and paper so badly before.

* * *

 

When the clock struck one, you placed your handmade ‘gone to lunch!’ sign on your desk, grabbed your purse, and walked away. You stopped at the room labeled ‘employee lounge’. The door opened before you even touched the handle. Alice’s face greeted you, and her mouth upturned slightly when she saw you.

“Hi, Alice!”

“Welcome to the one spot of heaven compared to the rest of this hell,” She stood aside and ushered you inside. Unlike modern break rooms, there was no vending machine and the lighting was ancient. At least it had a working coffee machine and a lukewarm water fountain. 

You sat at the card table in the middle of the room. Alice took the seat opposite of you. You dug through your purse and pulled out a brown paper bag. Then you pulled out two sandwiches wrapped in plastic, and handed one to her.

“What kind is it this week?”

“I tried something new, actually…” You began unwrapping yours. “I want to see if you can guess it first.”

Alice stared at her sandwich. Looked like an innocent PB & J. She didn’t bother opening it up to check for bugs or something weird, unlike if her other coworkers offered her food. She took a bite, and chewed. You grew excited when her eyes lit up.

“What is this?” She stared at the sandwich, incredulous.

“I call it a N & J; Nutella and jelly sandwich.”

“Nutella?”

“It’s like peanut butter, but instead it’s made of cocoa and walnuts. Do you...like it?”

“Are you kidding me?” She took another large bite, chewing with vigor.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” You said before eating your own sandwich. “I can try with a different jelly, if you want. I just used grape because that’s what I usually use.”

“You should make some of these for Bendy. They say the fastest way to a man’s heart is through their stomach.”

“I want to, but...I’m worried it might be a bit creepy for me to offer him lunch,”

“Why?”

“I dunno, that sounds like...something for more serious relationships. I don’t want to come off as clingy.”

“Do you want to?”

“If I didn’t know you better, I’d say that sounds very anti-feminist,” You chuckle. “But...yeah, that would be kinda nice, in a domestic sense. Like, preparing food for each other as a sign of affection, if that makes sense?”

“I say you propose to him with one of these,” She waved her mostly eaten sandwich in the air. “I guarantee he’d say yes just for a taste.”

You nearly choked. “I--I dunno. What if he swallows the ring?”

“Eh?”

“Well, people usually propose with a ring, right?” You chewed. “Come to think of it...would he wear the ring over or under his glove?”

Alice popped the rest of her sandwich into her mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, she swallowed and said, “I’ve never thought about that before,”

“It is weird to be thinking about that?”

“About marrying your boyfriend?”

“Well, I mean, we’ve only been dating for three months. That feels too soon to me…”

You didn’t catch the subtle, knowing glitter in her eyes. “I think it’s normal to fantasize a bit at least.”

“Is it also weird to picture him marrying me in his tiny toon form?”

“Oh my god,” She snickered. “He’d be too short to kiss you, the bride!”

“I’d have to kneel for him to reach! Or we’d have to get him a stool!” 

“Come to think of it, you guys have kissed, right?”

You pulled out a bag of chips, and opened it. “N--Not on the lips, yet,” You put it between you two to share. Brushing a strand of hair behind your ear, you said, “I...kissed him on the cheek once.”

“Everyone knows about that,” Alice grabbed a chip and nibbled on it. “He shouted it to the heavens afterwards.”

“He what?! Oh my god…” You cover your face. “I--I just did that on a whim,”

“Well, we’ve got a betting pool on who’s gonna kiss who first on the lips,”

Whining, you folded your arms and buried your face.

“I got twenty bucks that you kiss him first,”

You looked up with wide eyes. “Me? Why?!”

She shrugged.

“In case you haven’t noticed, I have the dating skill of a rock. I made an actual joke about him drawing me like a french girl,”

“Huh?”

“...you don’t know that reference either, huh?”

“What does that mean?”

“Means I jokingly suggested he draw me naked,”

Alice spat out chewed up potato chips on the table, then burst into laughter. She laughed so hard inky tears dribbled down her face and leaked at her seams. You pouted as she fell out of her chair, still going strong.

“I know, I know, just get it out of your system,”

“I--I don’t think Bendy would survive drawing you,”

“Why?”

“Because he’d pass out with his overwhelming feelings for you in a heartbeat!” She got to her feet and sat in her chair, crossing her legs. “Would you let him draw you naked though?”

You pulled out a water bottle and took a gulp. “Honestly...I’m not sure,”

“Well, here’s some advice for you,” she leaned forward. “I’d recommend you two kiss on the lips before you see each other naked,”

You blushed.

“Mainly because, again, I bet twenty bucks that you would kiss him first,”

“So the closer we get, the richer you get?”

“More or less,”

“Is there a betting pool if we get married yet, or what?”

Alice snorted. “No, but I want to make one now,”

“Oh my god, I was kidding!”

“Fine, then I’ll start one in which sex position you guys have in your first time instead,” She stood from her chair, and grabbing one last potato chip, walked towards the door.

“You’re just as bad as Malice!”

Alice shrugged. “Guess she rubbed off on me,” she reached for the doorknob. Just before she touched it, the door slammed open and hit the door. Bendy stood in the doorway, breathing through his teeth.

“Where the hell are those god damn--Oh!” His face brightened. “Hi, sweetheart!”

“Uh--I think you just squashed Alice,”

“Eh?”

You pointed at the door. He moved it, revealing Alice and ink plastered against the wall as thin as a pancake. She wore an intense grimace, her halo stuck to her face. Both of you stared at her for a split second before her form slid to the floor like a piece of paper. You bit your lip while Bendy bent over laughing.

“Don’t--Don’t worry your head off, sweetie,” He said between laughs. “She’ll be fine in a minute or so,”

“I--I hope so…” You stepped away from her. “What were you saying before?”

“Oh, just hunting down that no good Butcher’s gang. They trashed my office!”

“I’m starting to want to butcher the Butcher’s gang…”

“Same here,”

* * *

 

Bendy returned to his office with a handful of pencils he found in the breakroom. The office was not trashed, like he said, but all the pens’ ink was replaced with invisible ink. Not good at all for drawing. Or signatures, he corrected himself.

He sat at his desk, put down the handful of pencils, and rummaged around his desk for paper. Then he pulled a sheet out and began scribbling on it. He wasn’t thinking, he just let his hand drag the pencil across the page as his mind wandered.

After what felt like five minutes, a knock came from the door. “What?” 

“My lord, it’s I, your prophet,”

Bendy rolled his eyes. Then his eyes fell to his doodles. Eyebrows arching, he flipped it over before barking, “Get in here,”

Sammy entered and kneeled in front of his desk. “My lord, I have brought excellent news,”

“Then spill it. I’m always in the mood for good news,”

“Remember that scuffle from the other day?”

“When Alice Asshole dragged me away from taking care of my sweetheart?” Bendy scowled. “Yeah, I do,”

“One of them is unable to pay his dues to us for the damage he and his hooligans caused, but he did make us an interesting offer…”

“If he’s offering prostitutes then I’m not interested,”

“Oh? Are you and your lady already intimate?”

Blushing, he snarled, “No, and even if we were, that’s none of your business!”

Sammy cowered behind his worn copy of “The Illusion of Living” he always carried with him like a bible. “M--My lord! I apologize for my ignorance! And the sheep in question wasn’t offering those sorts of services!”

“What else does he have that I need? Joey Drew’s rotting corpse?” His eyes drifted to the side. “Come to think of it, I’d love to do a thing or two to it,” He chuckled darkly.

“The sheep in question owns a bar. At the moment,”

“Okay…?”

“It’s a bit run down, but the location is rather advantageous for our business,”

“Is he offering us free drinks or the whole bar?”

“The whole bar!” Sammy spread his arms in excitement. “This sheep is offering his bar and his services in exchange for nothing but forgiveness from you, our savior,”

“Wait, so you’re suggesting we...take up on this offer to expand our illegal business?”

“Yes! And to spread your holiness to the rest of the world!”

Bendy bit on his nonexistent thumbnail in thought. “Gimme the paperwork and I’ll think about it,”

“Yes, sir!” He kneeled once again. As he stood, he said, “Oh, by the way, Alice said he needed some paperwork from you,”

“Oh, uh,” Bendy looked at his desk. The document stared at him blankly. Shoving it into Sammy’s chest, he said, “Yeah, just give it to her. I’m too busy thinkin’ this bar business over to walk over to her sorry ass,”

“Right away, my lord!” Sammy spun around and skipped out the door the best he could in his inky body. As soon as the door closed, Bendy turned his chair to stare out the window behind him. He was pondering the bar idea, but not for the reasons Sammy suggested. An idea that he had found not long ago festered, and Sammy’s words made him ponder.

Meanwhile, outside the office, Sammy stared at the back of the paper Bendy handed him. The front wasn’t signed, but the back was littered with loose sketches of your smiling face, along with a heart with his and your name through.


	14. Chapter 14

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Bendy go to the movies!

“So...what do you think?” You asked.

Bendy’s mouth went agape. His eyes went wide at the large movie theater he had never seen before. The sign was designed to resemble spotlights, and the posters on the side looked so much more real than the ones Bendy saw littered in his old studio.

“How the heck did they get this shot?!” He pointed at a poster of a man seemingly in the middle of the ocean on a stormy night. “Like, no way was they got that clear a picture with a camera,”

“Um, I think they Photoshopped it,”

“Huh?”

“Used computers to alter the image,”

As you led Bendy towards the ticket booth line, his eyes were transfixed with the vivid posters for the movies. He whispered, “Psst, which one are we watching?”

“Deadpool. It’s about a superhero...kinda,”

“Deadpool? And here people say my name is weird,”

“I really like the main character, but it’s kinda violent,” You shyly chuckle. “I’m too much of a scaredy-cat to watch it by myself,”

Oh, Bendy thought. So you needed your big, strong boyfriend to hug and protect you from the scary movie. He puffed his chest in pride, straining his trench coat disguise.

“Are you sure you need to go into the theater like that?” You asked.

“Of course!” He whispered. “It’s all part of my human disguise! Got the trench coat, got the hat, even got the Groucho glasses!” 

You couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m just worried those will get in the way of the 3D glasses,”

Bendy’s eyes shot open. “They have what?”

“You’ll see,” 

Finally, it was your turn. The cashier behind the glass gave your partner a quizzical look before saying, “Welcome to Cindy’s Cinema, how can I help you?”

“Two adult tickets for Deadpool in 3D, please!”

You expected the lady to ask for payment, but she eyed Bendy with suspicion. Her eyes scanned him up and down with pursed lips.

“Got a problem, lady?” snarled Bendy.

“May I see what’s under your coat please, sir?”

“What? You want me to flash you or something?”

You wanted to help, you really did, but you were too busy stifling your laugh.

“Please calm down, ‘sir’. Believe it or not, several children have tried the trench coat trick to get into this movie, and am required to check before selling tickets.”

“Wait,” You said, “You mean when two short kids stand on each other’s shoulders under a long coat to get into adult movies? That actually happens?”

“Yes,”

Bendy huffed and undid his coat. “Fine. Here’s your proof,” He whipped it open, revealing his torso, clad in an ironed shirt and black pants. As the cashier inspected him, he wiggled his eyebrows. “Like what ya’ see?”

“...I’m satisfied that you’re not two dumb kids,”

“Well, if ya’ did like it, then too bad! I’m taken,” He flung his arm around your shoulders. “To this sweet thing,”

Before you could blush at his words, the cashier said, “May I see your ID’s please?”

As you rummaged through your purse for your driver’s license, Bendy froze. Just as you pulled out your wallet, he rummaged through his many pockets. Both of you held out your ID’s side by side; your license, and a gum wrapper.

You looked at Bendy. So did the cashier.

“Uhhh...Screw the disguise!” Bendy snatched off his hat and glasses. The cashier’s face went into shock at seeing his perfectly round face and horns. She could also clearly see his pie cut eyes and lack of facial features. Bendy pinched his cheek, stretching it like rubber, and barked, “Look, I’m a toon, but I can assure you I’m old enough to stand a little fake blood. So can we get our tickets or not? I still gotta grab the popcorn!”

The cashier’s face went white in confused fear. She typed into her computer in robotic strokes, and murmured, “That’ll be $24.42,”

It was Bendy’s turn to go pale. “Come again?”

Before the cashier could repeat, you shoved your credit card through the gap in the window. As the cashier swiped it, you whispered to Bendy, “Movies have gotten a bit more expensive since the 30’s,”

“I’ll say! Back in my day, you could see a show for just a quarter!”

The cashier slid out your card, receipt, and two ticket stubs. Staring at you two one last time, she said, “H--Have a nice day,”

“You too!” You chirped and took your belongings. Both of you walked past her, but not without Bendy giving her a glare.

“Come to think of it…” You said, “How old are  _ you? _ ”

“Let’s just get the popcorn and watch the movie,”

* * *

 

After the whole incident repeated at the concessions stand, you both made your way to the theater room with the words “DEADPOOL 3D” flashing across the screen above the entrance. Once you found seats, you sat on the edge of your chair and began devouring your jumbo order of popcorn. Meanwhile, Bendy perched on the seat carefully as if it would snap at him. He then inspected the odd plastic glasses you both received upon handing over your tickets. 

“These are glasses? They’re so...flimsy!”

“They’re 3D glasses. You just put them on when the movie starts,”

Bendy pushed them onto his face. He cringed; the world looked blurry, like he was underwater.

“Yeah, they only work for the movie,” You grabbed another handful of popcorn. “And maybe the previews,”

“Previews?”

“Y’know, advertisements for other movies coming out soon,”

* * *

 

Two hours later, you waddled out with a trembling Bendy in your arms. He clung to you, teeth chattering, eyes wide. However, his expression wasn’t purely out of terror. It wasn’t until you were clear out the door that he broke the silence.

“That...that was…”

“Okay…?”

“That was AMAZING!!” In the blink of an eye, your positions flipped. He grabbed you by the waist and held you in the air. His eyes were as big as dinner plates, glittering with excitement. “Those previews were like tiny movies! I couldn’t stop thinking about them ‘till the movie started. The graphics! The friggin’ 3D! The blood, oh god the blood!!” Bendy’s grin wavered slightly. “We gotta go see movies more often from now on!”

“Well, we might wanna work on your human disguise first,”

Bendy’s face fell. “Shit, I couldn’t even pay for anything!”

“It’s okay, not like all that cost a million bucks,”

“But--!”

You firmly pressed your finger on his lips to silence him. Your touch made all of his distress melt away. And your fingertips were so soft…

Then you lowered your fingers. “You can put me down, too, by the way,”

“...Nah!” He flung you over his shoulder. “I’ll carry ya’ home!”

“Bendy!” You yelped, kicking your legs in the air. “Put me down!”

“Nope!” He began walking.

“At least not like this!”

“Yeah? Why?”

“Everyone can see my underwear like this!”

Bendy froze. His eyes made a beeline for your butt, but then he remembered you were wearing jeans. Just then, you kicked him in the face.

“Made ya’ look,” You giggled. “But can I at least get a piggy back ride, instead?”

“IIIII can do that,” He somehow manuverd you to sit on his shoulders without dropping you. Your laugh was music to his ears.

“Hey, I can see your car from here!”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah!” You lowered your hands until they landed on Bendy’s horns. “Giddy up!” You gently kick your feet.

“Alright, ya’ slave driver,” He chuckled, and resumed walking. After a few steps in silence, you gently ran your fingers against his horns. You half expected them to feel rough and ridged, but no, they were as smooth and solid as ivory. 

“Y’know, when I was younger, I used to think you were a cat,”

“Huh?”

“In the cartoons. ‘Cause your horns looked like cat ears to me,”

“Seriously?”

You shrugged, then remembered he couldn’t see you. “I dunno,”

Bendy carried you the whole way to the car, where he gingerly put you down and opened the passenger car door for you. Then he plopped himself into the driver’s seat. The seat had a hole dug through the back near the seat where his long tail would slip through and comfortably sit behind his seat. As he turned the key, he caught you looking at him.

“You know,” you said, “I’m surprised you agreed to do this.”

“What? Taking you to a show?” He suddenly stared at his shoes. “Actually, er, more like just tagged along. They wouldn’t let me pay for squat!”

“It’s okay, I didn’t mind!” You paused. “I meant you coming out into broad daylight with me,”

“Oh. Well, um,” He coughed. “Figured maybe, well, it was about time I stopped keeping myself under the cover of darkness, if you get my drift.”

You arched an eyebrow.

“Y’know, like, maybe not relying on my human disguise so much. Figured maybe people have...changed enough for me to go out and about.” He scowled as he shifted gears. “They still looked at me like I was crazy, though.”

Oh, you thought. You frowned and stared out the window. “I’m sorry if I--”

“What?” Bendy nearly slammed on the breaks. “Sweetheart, it’s not your fault! It’s their goddamn fault! I--I figured since you tolerate me, maybe--maybe the world would, too.” His eyes went glassy. “I...I’ve had to be pretty careful with my identity for a long time.”

The car drove out of the parking lot. Normally you or Bendy would have turned on the old radio by now, blasting swing music, but this time it was silent. The only sound was the hum of the engine and the distant roar of cars on the freeway up ahead. A sad smile crept across the demon’s face, silent. One hand was on the wheel while the other laid against his side. He suddenly felt your pinkie finger ever so gently brush against his. He glanced down to confirm what he felt, then looked up, finding you with an unsure expression on your face.

Oh, golly, his face grew so hot he swore he was burning red instead of grey, and that his face would melt off like rubber. He focused his eyes on the road, but he willed himself to gently squeeze back. Your hand was so tiny compared to his…

A sudden POP came from outside, and the car lurched as if going over a speedbump. 

You yelped, your hand flinging away from his. Bendy clung to the wheel with both hands. Somehow he pulled over to the shoulder. While you clung your purse to your chest, he jumped out of the car and looked at the ground.

“Aw, you’re freaking’ kidding me!”

You finally regained your composure. You rolled the window down. “What happened?”

“We got a flat tire!!”


	15. Chapter 15

By some miracle, Bendy managed to drive the car to a nearby motel on the side of the road. As he slammed the car door as he left the car, he opened your door and offered a hand to help you out. “C’mon, sweetheart, let’s see if we can find a payphone and a phonebook,”

“Or we can use my cellphone?”

“Your what?”

You dug through your purse and pulled out an iPhone. Bendy stared at it, confused. 

“Bendy, have you never seen a cell phone before?”

“That’s a  _ phone?! _ ”

You held the screen up to him. He squinted at the brightness and many square symbols on it. It was rectangular, encased in a rubber, bright blue case. His eyes widened when it moved at the flick of your fingertips. He backed away.

“It’s okay, Bendy! It’s not gonna hurt you!”

“H...How in the…? How long have you had this thing?”

“About a year? I’m usually glued to this thing, but, well, I felt like it’d be rude to use it while we were about. Like, making sure you have my undivided attention and stuff.” You began tapping at it. “Lemme see if I can find a tow number on here…”

“How?”

“It has internet.”

“Like, those computers you described to me?”

“Yeah, more or less,” You frowned at the screen. “My connection’s pretty bad, though...c’mon Google, load faster,”

“Maybe it’d be faster to do it the ol’ fashioned way? Sure the motel’s got a phone and a phone book,” He pointed at the front of the motel.

You sighed and pocketed your phone. “Might as well. I’d rather have you do most of the work anyway.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” Bendy rolled his eyes, wrapped his arm around your shoulders, and walked with you to the motel. Your footsteps made muffled crunch sounds against the old asphalt, almost gravely after years of use. His steps faltered, however. “You don’t...think they’ll turn us away because I’m a toon, do ya’?”

You thought for a moment, then shrugged. “I’ve got your back.” You patted his back.

Bendy smirked. “Good, ‘cause if they try to tell us no, then I’ll give ‘em my signature knuckle sandwich.”

As you both approached the front desk area, you saw an ‘Come in, we’re open!’ sign on the door, along with a handwritten one in sharpie marker saying, ‘We take credit cards!’. Bendy opened the door for you, sounding a tiny gold bell atop it. You walked inside, wiping your feet on the worn doormat, so worn you could barely make out the words WELCOME on it. Then you walked on the old green carpet. It reminded you of the carpet in your grandparents’ house. 

Just as the door shut, Bendy’s tail was caught in the door jam, and he grimaced. While he wrestled with his tail, you looked around for an old fashioned phone. You didn’t see one, but did see a front desk with those bells you tap on to ring. You walked up to it just as Bendy freed his tail with a curse under his breath. His poor tail was kinked at a sharp right angle, so he tried to smooth it out. 

You rang the bell.

The metal reverberations of the tiny bell echoed through the room. When they faded, you heard a different sound; of quick, tiny steps approaching the desk. From the back came the shortest old lady you had ever laid eyes on. She wore pink fuzzy slippers, a plaid green dress, and a thick pair of cateye glasses perched on her freckled nose. As she stepped on a stepstool behind the desk, her beehive of white hair wiggled slightly. You couldn’t tell if it was a massive wig or not.

“Why, hello there, dearie!” She chirped with a gravely but cheerful voice. “How can I help you today?”

“Oh, I’m, uh, with my boyfriend,” You pointed behind you. On cue, Bendy stood besides you and narrowed his eyes at the old lady.

“Got a problem with me, grandma?”

The woman didn’t even blink. Instead she chuckled like a feminine Santa Clause. “Oh, sounds like you have yourself a fiesty man, dearie! Tell me, how handsome is he?” She pushed her glasses up her nose. “Despite my glasses, I can hardly see a thing at a distance!”

Bendy’s eyebrows shot up. You both looked at each other. You then replied, “Well, he does stand out from the crowd.”

“I can assure you I’m too handsome for my own good!’ Bendy barked. “In fact, I’m  _ devilishly _ handsome~” He gave a toothy grin while gently nudging your ribs. You covered your mouth to hold in your laugh. Then he cleared his throat. “Anyway, hate to cut the pleasantries short, but our ride got a flat tire. Mind if we borrow your phone to call a tow?”

“Oh, but of course! Follow me, dearie,” She hopped off her stool and skirted around the desk. Then she grabbed Bendy by the wrist and pulled him away. Judging by Bendy’s expression, she held remarkable strength. 

Silence settled into the room, so you leaned against the wall and pulled out your phone. Your eyebrows furrowed; now you had no bars. Sighing, you shoved it back into your purse. Your eyes wandered, taking in the lackluster paintings on the walls, the yellowing wallpaper peeling at the edges, and...a giant plastic bowl shoved to the side of the front desk. Complimentary candy, you thought? Your eyes lit up, and you peeked inside. You saw what appeared to be thin life preservers, so you shoved your hand inside. Huh, the wrappers felt kinda stiff, and why were they so thin--?

Oh.  _ Oh. _

“Gah!!” You screamed as you snatched your hand back out. Immediately, you dug through your purse until you found a bottle of hand sanitizer, squeezed it into your palm, and furiously rubbed it between your hands.

Before you rubbed your hands raw, Bendy came back with the old lady behind him. She looked as chipper as ever and made a beeline for her desk. The demon, however, looked like he just swallowed a pickled egg whole.

“I...got some bad news, sweetheart. The tow won’t be here until the morning. Sooooo it looks like we’ll be staying the night here.” Then he noticed the flush on your face. “You okay?”

“IIIII stuck my hand into what I thought was a bowl of candy,” You pointed at the offending dishware.

“And?”

“It’s not full of candy.”

Bendy stretched his neck to the bowl. He reminded you of an ostrich. In the blink of an eye, his head snapped back and he wore a shocked expression.

“Those aren’t candies,”

“Nope,”

The old lady piped up with, “They’re condoms, dears. Help yourself!” She winked.

You blushed, but Bendy shivered uncomfortably. “What’s wrong?” You whispered to him.

“That old lady groped my ass twice,” He hissed through his teeth. 

“Did she feel your tail? Blow your cover?”

“I’m experiencing sexual harassment and that’s the first thing you ask?!”

“Shhh!!”

The jingling of keys caught your attention. The old lady pulled out a dingy key attached to a tag with a room number. “Alrighty, lovelies, here’s your key for the best room of the establishment. That’ll be sixty dollars, please!”

Relief briefly flashed across Bendy’s face as he pulled out his wallet and slammed three twenties on the desk. He grabbed the key as the lady swept the money towards her. “Thanks.”

“Oh, don’t mention it, handsome.” She suddenly leaned over and whispered into your ear, “You have good taste, dear; he has a rather nice backside~”

“Bendy, can we go now,”

“Yes, lets’,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> College is trying to make me write research papers until I die, but I'm still kickin'! :D  
> On a side note, I commissioned a lovely person (anothersinningman.tumblr) to read aloud the Bendy dialogue from chapter 1! Give it a listen below! And consider giving this kind person your money for more!
> 
> https://tietoons.tumblr.com/post/179880805665/i-had-the-pleasure-of-commissioning


	16. Chapter 16

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You and Bendy share a room, and there's only one good bed. Oh noes whatever shall they do.

You fell face first on one of the beds, sighing in the floral bedsheets. Bendy plopped down on the other one, propping his elbows on his knees. “Well, I know this wasn’t what we had planned for our date, but…”

Your raised your head. “I just remembered something.”

“Yeah?”

“When I was a kid, my parents would never let me jump on the bed. But now…” You crawled to your feet. “I can jump on it as much as I want!” Grinning, you got to your feet, then began bouncing on the bed. “Woohoo!” The bed springs squeaked each time your feet smashed against the old mattress.

Bendy smirked as he watched you jump like a little kid. You were almost short enough to be one. Your hair went in all directions in the air, defying gravity for the briefest of moments whenever you reached the apex of your mighty leap.

You fell on your back, kicking your legs in the air, idly staring at the popcorn ceiling. Though the mattress was ancient and the sheets were gaudy, you found yourself surprisingly comfortable. From the corner of your eye, you saw Bendy stand up and walk past you. 

“Gonna take a quick leek,”

“‘Kay,”

You heard the bathroom door close and lock. After a minute, you broke the silence with, “Hey, Bendy?”

“Yeah?”

“Do you have to pee?”

“Really? You’re asking me this now?”

“I don’t even know if you have a...a ding dong!”

“For your information, yes, I do have a ding dong,” Then came the crisp  _ zzzip! _ of his trouser fly. “Now if you’ll ‘scuse me, I need some privacy.” The sound of liquid hitting the toilet echoed through the door. You decided to turn away, then sit up, deciding to investigate the rest of the motel room. 

A side tables sat by each bed, each furnished with a lamp and digital clock. You opened the tiny drawer in the nearest table to find a pocket Bible, a ballpoint pen, and a packet of gum coated with dust. Closing it, you looked around and saw the TV. It was old, not black and white old, but old enough to be square and bulky. It reminded you of the first computer your dad gave you. A TV meant a TV remote, right? You look around more carefully, but didn’t see it. Then your eyes fell to the ground. Something grey and rectangular was hiding below your bed. You leaned over and reached for it.

The toilet flushed just before the door opened and Bendy walked out. Stretching his arms over his head, he said, “So sweetheart, ya’ wanna do any-- _ oh.” _ His eyes widened at the sight of your butt in the air as you leaned over to the ground. He swallowed, his imagination spitting out scenarios of touching and caressing you there, feeling the soft flesh, memorizing it, slapping--

Then you rose, crawling back on the bed. Remote in hand, you pointed it at the TV. The screen flickered to life with a commercial, so you began to channel surf. 

Bendy swallowed. He sat on the bed, causing it to dip under his weight. At this, you glanced away from the TV. “Hey, Bendy.”

“Hey, babe. Find anything good to watch?”

“Not yet,” You crossed your legs as you sat on the edge of the bed. Your shirt began to hang to the side, showing one pale shoulder blade and the strap of a white, plain bra. Wordlessly, you tugged your shirt back up, eyes never leaving the screen. Bendy bit his lip, and tried to think of as many unsavory thoughts as possible to combat the heat in his pants. He crossed his legs and pictured Alice sneering, or Boris drooling, or Wally picking his nose. His thoughts screeched to a halt when you landed on a channel with a...bizarrely animated show. Everyone’s hair looked spiky, and their eyes impossibly shiny.

“The hell is that?” He asked.

“Some anime. Looks like a shonen by the looks of it.” You put the remote down and moved up the bed so you could sit against the headboard and pillows.

“Ani-may?” Bendy followed suit, scooching backwards until he sat next to you.

“It’s a style of animation originating from Japan. I practically watched this stuff nonstop as a teenager.” You brushed a strand of hair behind your ear. “Y’know, anime was originally inspired by American cartoons like Disney.”

Bendy grimaced. You quickly covered your mouth. “Sorry! I forgot, I forgot! Forget I said anything!”

“It’s...fine.” He said with his eyes glued to the screen. A young man with far too many muscles punched the face of another similar character. “This stuff any good?”

“Depends. Some anime is good, but it’s...hard to find. Especially with the fanservice.”

Bendy raised an eyebrow. “Fanservice?” 

“Guess they didn’t have that in your days,” You snorted. “In animes, it’s a common trope for the female characters to have impossibly large boobs that bounce like they’re water balloons. Or for the audience to get a good look at her panties.”

Bendy snickered. He cupped his mouth with one hand while he hugged his stomach with the other. “And I thought--pfft!--thought our cartoons were a bit risque.”

“Like Betty Boop? Pfft, she’s got nothing on what these guys are animating.”

“So boobs and panty shots, huh?” Bendy hummed. His eyes began to wander from your cherub face to your plush breasts, then down to your stomach pouch sitting atop your plump, pale thighs. He could imagine your underwear straining against your soft skin--

By a stroke of luck, his perverted wanderings were broken by the anime. A new character, a girl as skinny as a toothpick, held up a long staff and bright lights flashed across the screen. This animation got weirder and weirder. Sighing, he leaned back to let his brain turn to fuzz with the show in the background. He closed his eyes. It was comforting, along with you leaning against his side.

The next time he opened his eyes, a different anime was playing, and you were asleep, drooling on his shirt. Smirking, he poked at your side with the tip of his tail. After a few prods, you jumped with a yelp and hugged your side. 

“Hey!” 

“Whatsamatta? You ticklish?”

You didn’t answer his question. Instead you yawned and checked the digital clock on the nightstand. Then you groped the bedsheets for the remote. “I had no idea... _ yawn _ ...it was so late.”

“Aw, tired already? The night’s still young, sweetheart.” His grin took on a toothy quality, like in his old cartoons. “We can still have some fun.”

You found the remote, but you didn’t move to turn off the TV yet. “Like what?” Your mind immediately went for the gutter, but you refused to let it show on your face as more than a faint blush. You weren’t sure if you were dreading...or hoping for that outcome.

“Welllll, you never did answer my question,” Bendy crawled closer on all fours. He bore his fangs. They glistened a blinding white against the sharp edges. 

“What question?”

“That you were ticklish.”

“Oh--Wait, Bendy--ACK!!” 

Bendy pinned you to the bed with one hand and ruthlessly attacked your sides with his other. He flipped your shirt up to reveal bare skin and tickled your ribs. Your love handles jiggled as you cried from laughter.

“Bendy, st--staaAAAP!!” You wiggled in his grasp. Instead of complying, he began to target your armpits. His cotton gloves brushed against your skin quickly and lightly. Tears welled in your eyes and your stomach ached from all the laughing. Bendy’s mischievous spirit from his cartoon days was alight at your squirming, his wriggling fingers wandering back down your body.

Until he accidentally groped your left breast.

Absolute silence.

Both of your eyes went as wide as dinner plates. Your heart hammered against your ribcage like a frightened bird. It beat so hard you feared Bendy could feel it even through your fatty flesh. His fingers were frozen as if the ink in his veins had gone cold. However, his cheeks claimed otherwise; all the ink rushed to his face to burn in his cheeks. Steam even leaked out of his ears with the sharp whistle of a tea kettle.

You whispered, “...Bendy?”

“Sorrygottagobye!” He jumped from the bed to out of your sight in a blur--or an animation smear. Your brain stopped working for what felt like minutes. Then you shot upright. “Bendy? Where’d you go?”

“Not under the bed!!”

You leaned over the bed until the crown of your head met the carpet. You raised the sheets. A pair of pie cut, button eyes gleamed back at you like a cat’s. 

“Bendy, I see you there.”

The eyes squeezed shut in embarrassment. “Sweetheart, I--I’m sorry. It was an accident, I swear.”

“...I forgive you.”

“...really?”

“Yes. Now do you want to come out?”

“...Sure. It’s dusty as hell down here.”

You got back on the bed as Bendy crawled out. The bed frame creaked as he squeezed out. He stood and brushed the dust off his arms and pants. When he turned to you, you snickered.

“What?” He tilted his head. “Somethin’ on my face?”

“Y--Yeah. Wait,” You rummaged through your purse for a minute, then pulled out a compact mirror. You flipped it open and held it towards him, trying to keep a straight face. Bendy squinted at his reflection, studying the dust clinging to his face in the shape of a bushy beard. He looked like a dusty Santa Clause.

Bendy shimmied his entire body like a wet dog, sending dust everywhere. You covered your face as dust flew past you. Once the dust settled, you opened your eyes to see Bendy, tie askew and shirt wrinkled. His eyes blinked rapidly as his nose crinkled.  _ Cute, _ you thought…but this thought wasn’t a strong as the thought of how dusty your bed was.

“Aw, Bendy!” You patted the bed, seeing dust fly into the air. “How am I supposed to sleep here?”

“Oh, um, uh, you can sleep in the other one!”

“What about you?”

“Pssh! I’ll be fine! I’m made of ink!” He boasted. Suddenly, his expression twisted, and his nose twitched. And again. And again. “Ah...Ah...ACK--CHOO!!” His sneeze sent more dust into the air. You scowled at him as he wiped his nose with a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Bless you. And I’m not going to let you sleep on that asthma trap.”

“What else are we gonna do? Share the other bed?”

After a pause, you shrugged.

Bendy’s eyes shrank to the point you could clearly see the whites of his eyes. His tail went from limp to as straight as a needle. He tugged at the collar of his shirt, loosening his bowtie. Something liquid dribbled down his neck, though you couldn’t tell if it was sweat, ink, or both. 

“Wait, um, so you’re suggestin’ we, um, y’know--” Bendy stumbled all over his words.

“I’m not saying we, um, y’know…” Your hand waved in the air as you wrestled with your tongue. 

“So if you’re not sayin’ we should, y’know, then what are you suggestin’?”

“Fine, I’ll be blunt,” You rubbed your arm as you continued. “We sleep in the same bed. As in we close our eyes and snore until morning.”

Bendy chuckled. “That’s a pretty good description, doll.” His blush returned. “But, uh, you sure you don’t just want me to take the floor?”

“No way! That’s worse than the other bed!”

“Yeah, but…”

Sighing, you pulled a pillow into your lap, and hugged it. “Fine, I’ll take the floor.”

“What? Oh no you don’t! Put that pillow down and get comfy right there, ‘cause I’m not letting you sleep down there!”

“It’s not like the floor is lava.”

“Nope, but it’s dirty as hell! You saw me under that bed! Who knows how much dust and shit is in this rug?” Bendy glared at the carpet beneath his feet. “And it’s tacky, too.”

“Look, I don’t want to sleep on the rug anymore than you do. But if sleeping in the same bed as me makes you uncomfortable, then--”

“Screw me, I’m trying to make  _ you _ comfortable!!”

Groaning in frustration, you rubbed the heels of your palms into your eyes. Your eyes strained from sleep, and that same ache ebbed through the rest of your body, including your brain. “Bendy, I...I don’t mind if you sleep beside me. I just wanna sleep at this point…” You finish with a yawn.

Bendy’s heart hammered too hard for his lack of sleep to register. But then you wormed under the covers and lifted them on the opposite side. You patted the open side lazily. As if in a trance, he approached the mattress and sat down. His mind was white noise as he mechanically removed his shoes. Scratching his chest absently, he willed himself to breathe. 

_ “Don’t get a boner, don’t get a boner, don’t get a boner…” _ He thought as he laid on his side, back facing you.

“Comfy?” You pulled the covers up to his shoulders.

He nodded. “You?”

“Yeah.” You shifted, curling your legs closer to your body. “This okay?”

“...Can I be honest for a hot minute?”

You yawn. “Sure.”

“I’m worried I’m gonna pop a boner here.”

Dead silence, aside from the dull hum of the air conditioner. Bendy felt his ink run cold. Then he heard you snickering, muffled. He dared to turn over and saw you hiding your face under the cotton covers. Your eyes peeked out, and he could tell by them you were smiling ear to ear.

“I--I’m not laughing at you, I swear!”

Bendy smirked. “Whatever,” He turned back around. “If you can laugh at that, then maybe we can get through tonight.” He paused. “Besides...I don’t mind you laughing at me. It’s kinda my sole purpose of existing.”

“...I wouldn’t call it your sole purpose of existing.”

“Oh? What else am I good for?”

A mischievous gleam appeared in your own eyes, unseen by Bendy. You flung your arms around his midsection and buried your face into the back of his neck. Giggling, you said, “You’re also a good teddy bear!”

Bendy stiffened for a split minute. But your soft, tiny hands resting against his chest and midsection, and your arms surrounding him with you...it made him relax. “Y’know, I’ve never been the little spoon before.”

“I’ve never been a spoon at all before.”

“Well, then I’m glad to be your first little spoon then.” He chuckled. With you by his side, he felt sleep finally settle into him. His heart beat slowed to a steadier, calm rhythm. No heat in his groin, but a warmth through his body. His eyes grew heavy. “G’night, sweetheart.”

“Night, Bendy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry for the late update. My emotional health has been off the rails the past month and I wasn't able to write as much as I should.  
> I'm planning on wrapping this adventure within the next few chapters, but rest assured I'll give this reader insert the happy ending y'all deserve.


	17. Chapter 17

Malice and Alice slunked in the shadows by the motel. They followed Boris who walked on all fours, sniffing the ground like a bloodhound. His tail wagged as his ears reached for the sky. He sniffed along the pavement, up the sidewalk along the motel room doors, then walked in circles. His eyebrows shot up as he pointed to a door like a hunting dog, one paw in the air and his body as straight as a needle.

“Good boy, Boris,” said Alice. She tried the door handle, but it rattled uselessly. She huffed, then kneeled on the ground as she extended her hand behind her. “Got a bobby pin?”

“Oh, sure,” Malice sneered. “Like I’ve got one to keep my inky mass of ‘hair’ upright.”

“So get me something else to pick this lock,”

“Did you forget we can shapeshift, or what?”

Alice froze for a hot second in shame, before slapping her forehead. Groaning, she held up her pointer finger. Using her other hand, she pinched her inky fingers like clay until it was in the shape of a cartoonishly simple key. Then she crammed it into the keyhole. Ink spewed out as it squeezed inside, but after some wiggling, the lock clicked. She pulled her finger out with a grimace. Popping her aching finger into her mouth, she used her other hand to wrestle with the doorknob. This time, it opened.

“Hope you’re decent Bendy,” Malice yelled. “Because we’re coming i--”

She, Alice, and Boris stopped dead in their tracks. Six pairs of black, pie cut eyes stared at one of the motel beds. You were tucked under the covers as snug as a bug in a rug, tucked completely under Bendy’s rubber hose arms. He snored loudly, making a high pitched  _ ‘mimimimi… _ ’ on each exhale. You curled up in your sleep as he spooned you from behind. Even his spaded tail poked out from the covers to lay over your hips almost protectively.

Your eyelids twitched subtlety as the corners of your mouth turn downwards while you stirred from sleep. At the rate of a drunk slug, you opened your eyes. The fog of dreams lingered in your mind as your eyes slowly focused in the dim light of dawn. “Mmph?” You murmur, a hand emerging from the covers to blindly scratch your nose. The movement disturbed Bendy’s grip on your shoulder, and his snoring came to an abrupt halt.

“Huhwuh?” Bendy groggily asked. He tried to blink his sleep away, but then his eyes shut, and the snoring resumed. The brief lull of his snoring was enough to spur you to blink a few more times. 

Your eyes focused on the three silhouettes standing in front of you. Curious, you pushed yourself up with a groan. “Who--”

Boris jumped to the bed, wagging his tail. He licked a wet stroke against your cheek with his canine tongue with a loud slurp.

“Ew! Boris!!”

As you wipe your face, you hear something go thud on the other side of the bed. You and Boris looked and saw Bendy’s lower body hanging off the bed as if he had rolled out of bed the wrong way. His tail hung in the air like a limp straw as he crawled to his feet. “Owww, m’head…”

“Bendy? You okay?” You ask.

“Yeah, I’m--Boris?!”

Boris wagged his tail harder, making a steady thumping beat against the mattress.

“Alice?! Malice?! The hell are you guys doing here?!”

Alice placed her hands on her hips. “Well, when you didn’t come back last night, we assumed the worst, so we had Boris sniff you out.”

Malice held up a wad of briefs with bright red heart prints on it. “We used this to track your scent.”

You snickered at Bendy’s choice of underwear while his face contorted to an expression craving death.

“Anyway,” Alice continued. “We’ve been up all night looking for ____ and your ass. Next thing we know, we find you two lovebirds here.”

Malice pulled the pair of briefs taught between her fingers like a slingshot, then aimed for Bendy’s face. “Congrats on losing your virginity, Bendy,” then she let go, the underwear hitting Bendy smack in the face.

At this, however, your face burned. “W--Wait!” You scrambled out of the bed and to your feet. Waving your hands, you cried, “It’s not what it looks like! We just cuddled, we had to! The other bed was dirty! And we’re still in all our clothes!!”

“Y--Yeah! What she said!” Bendy chimed in, briefs still dangling off one of his horns.

Meanwhile, under all this commotion, Boris simply blinked innocently, glancing back and forth. He didn’t have to witness any more before Alice sighed. “Your virginity status aside, there’s a reason we hauled ass to find you, Bendy.”

“Huh?” Bendy pulled his underwear off his horns. As he shoved them as deep into his pockets as cartoonishly possible, he stared at his shoes in thought. The moment he pulled his hand out, his eyebrows shot up. “Shit!”

“What?” you asked.

“I’ll explain on the way there, I’m already late!!” He grabbed your hand and pulled you off the bed and towards the door. You had no choice but to follow him despite Alice’s protests, as you frantically grabbed your shoes and purse along the way.

* * *

 

Turns out Alice and the gang had replaced the tire on Bendy’s car before they barged in, so you both jumped into the car and pulled out of the parking lot in the blink of an eye. As he pushed on the gas, you caught your breath to finally ask again, “Bendy, where are we going?”

“Well, actually I was hoping to tell you about it after I got all the details sorted out. Was gonna be a...surprise.” He bit his lip. “We’re going to a bar some idiot couldn’t keep.”

“A bar? Isn’t a lil’ early for alcohol?”

“I don’t mean to drink! I just need to look at the place real quick! Then I’ll drop you off home safe and sound.” 

After a pause, you shrugged, “Okay…”

* * *

 

Bendy opened the door for you, and you walked inside. The bar looked run down, but not completely uninhabitable. The lights were off, but intact. The booths, tables, and bar possessed a thin layer of dust. Some of the chairs were placed upside down on the table like bartenders do when closing up as to clean the floor, but a few were on the ground sideways, as if either knocked off or simply forgotten. A handful of faded posters littered the walls, some with takeaway tabs at the bottom with phone numbers. As you walked deeper inside, you kicked a few stray beer bottle caps along the floor.

“So you said whoever owned the bar ‘couldn’t keep it’?” You sat on a barstool. It squeaked weakly under your weight. “Did they run out of money? Or was it a bad location?”

“Ehhh, it’s kinda complicated,” Bendy slammed the door. He didn’t want to tell you that the owner was threatened to hand it over or an outrageous sum of money. That was in the past now. 

“So it’s vacant,”

“Yep,”

You spun on the barstool, pushing yourself around using the bar for leverage. “Wheeee!”

Bendy chuckled and took a seat next to you. “Ya’ like those chairs?”

“I am easily entertained. Sue me,” You gradually slowed to a stop, back facing Bendy before you scooted around.

“Well...maybe you’ll be getting the chance to spin on them a lot more in the near future,”

“Hm?”

“This run down lil’ shithole is now under the name of yours truly,” Bendy leaned on his elbow. “And I plan on...expanding my lil’ business.”

“Really?” Then you paused. “But isn’t this one a bit too out in the open? I mean, your place is underground for a reason.”

His tail waved in the air slowly, as if hesitant. “Yeah, about that...I’ve been thinking about...something,”

“What’s that ‘something’?”

“Oh...just an idea that’s been floating in my head for a bit,” He began to use his fingertip to draw in the dust covering the bar. Little circles or idle spirals. “I’ve been thinking about…diversifying my business.” He snorted. “Or at least, that’s what Alice called it when I described it to her.”

“So doing something different? More illegal stuff?”

“No!” Bendy barked. “I wanna do the opposite!”

Your eyebrows arched in curiosity.

“I was thinking of opening a...sister location, see? Just a regular bar, nothing illegal. Maybe some live music, serving some booze...Plain and simple.”

“Really?” You leaned forward.

“Yeah. I’m thinking it’s about time the outside world can tolerate my crew’s horrible faces. And about time it’s witnessed my handsome mug!”

Rolling your eyes, you reached over and flicked where his nose would be. He yelped in pain before he snorted. “What, you don’t find my mug handsome?”

“No, I find your crew not as ugly as you described.”

He shrugged. “Whatever. Anyway, while I was thinking about all this, I was wondering...if maybe…” He averted his pie cut eyes. His tail curled closer to his body shyly, so close he could reach and twirl his finger around his spaded tail. “You, uh, you like working with me, sweetheart?”

“I tolerate you,”

Instead of laughing, Bendy’s face somehow grew as pale as white out. 

“I’m kidding! I’m kidding!!” You quickly add. “Of course I like working with you! Sure, it’s a little crazy down there sometimes, but…” You blush. “At least I’ve got you down there. And the rest of you guys.”

“Well, what if we could change that?”

“How?”

“Would you be interested in...maybe working with me here?”

“Here?” Your eyes went to the ground as you brushed some hair behind your ear. “I, uh, I haven’t had very good experiences working as a waitress.”

“No, no! I didn’t mean that! I mean, if you wanted to, of course I’d let you, but that’s not what I was thinking…I was thinking of...promoting you?”

“Does this mean I get a raise?” You grin.

Bendy thread his tail through his fingers, then slid it back out. He continued to toy with his tail as he continued. “Well, obviously! But I was also hoping to...propose something more, too.”

You tilted your head in a mixture of curiosity and confusion.

“See, there’s an apartment upstairs. It’s small but got everything ya’ need; kitchen, bathroom, y’know. Juuuust big enough for a couple of people to live and not get their knickers in a twist. I’ve been thinking of, well, y’see…” He let go of his tail. His hand went to his mouth, where he somehow nibbled on his nails through his thick white gloves--classic cartoon physics. “You can say no if you don’t wanna, ‘course. I’m not gonna fire you for turning my offer down and we’ll still be together. I was just thinking...Would you maybe wanna...shack up together?”

Your hands let go of the edge of the barstool, and you nearly fell off to the hard ground. Heart skipping a beat, you reply, “Really? Like, move in together above the bar?”

“Aw, sweetheart, don’t make me spell it out!” Gray dusted his cheeks.

Pursing your lips teasingly, you say, “But I want to hear you say it!”

He sighed, relenting to your adorable expression. “Alright, don’t gotta tease me. Here’s what I’m thinking; I leave the thug life to Alice and the others, while I start a new life running a bar, entertaining people again, and living upstairs with you as my assistant.”

“A new life…?”

Bendy turned in the bar stool so you could only see his profile. His toothy grin took on a sheepish quality as he rubbed his neck. “I dunno, like...I figure I can’t do dirty work for a living forever. Maybe it’s about time I step outta the shadows, y’know…? Try the honest life, I guess…?”

“So let me get this straight; you want to stop living a life of crime and instead run a bar? And move in together?”

“Yeah, b--but you don’t have to do the second part if you don’t want to! You can keep working at our underground place, really!”

You cupped your cheeks to hide your blush. Looking away, your heart raced as your face grew hot. No one’s ever made such a...proposal to you. The idea of living in a cozy apartment, late mornings sharing breakfast, or lazy evenings spent cuddling on the couch while watching television...so many cheesy domestic ideas flung through your mind that made your heart race.

“Well,” You said. “I’d have to talk about it with my roommates, moving out and what not. And then--”

“Wait, really?” Bendy jumped from his seat. “You mean it? You wanna do it?” His eyes were wide and glittering with anticipation and hope.

You nodded, finally dropping your hands, revealing your blushing face and smile. It was the kind of smile one wore when you were overjoyed, slightly embarrassed at your joy, ever so slightly afraid you were pinning your hopes too high, but still dared to hope all the same.

In the blink of an eye, Bendy grabbed you by the waist, held you close to him, and squeezed you so hard you almost couldn’t breathe. Yet at that moment, you were too happy to not breathe. Then he spun you in the air like you weighed nothing with a smile so wide it put his toon form to shame. After what felt like a moment too short, Bendy slowed down. He began to lower you, but to your surprise, instead of landing on your feet, your butt met the smooth countertop. Now you were almost at his height, able to stare directly into his pitch black, glossy button eyes. They blinked innocently back at you while his smile gradually waned, lips relaxing and slightly parting--

You grabbed him by the cheeks and pulled him towards you to give him a surprise kiss on the lips. His lips felt softer than you thought they would and refreshingly cool against your flesh ones. 

A beat later, you released him, blushing. However, you forgot your embarrassment as you saw Bendy’s face. His jaw was slack like a dummy’s, face flushed the deepest shade of gray you had ever seen, and eyes so, so wide you could clearly see the whites of his eyes. Either that or his eyes shrank to the size of sunflower seeds.

“...Bendy? You okay?”

He leaned back and fell flat on his back, stiff as a pole.

“Bendy!” You jumped down. His expression was nothing short of love-struck; a loopy grin, heart-shaped eyes, and little cartoon cupids spinning around his head as he saw stars.

“Think I...Think I just died and went to heaven.” He mumbled.

“But you’re a demon, silly,”

“Uh-huh…”

“If you’re going to die every time I kiss you, then I probably shouldn’t do it ever again,”

That brought Bendy back to his senses in a flash. The cupids flew away as he shook his head wildly. Then he flung his legs back, then forward, using the momentum to spring to his feet. “Hell no!”

“Figured,” You giggle.

“But...does this mean you can kiss me again?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Sure,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally wrapped up this looooong uncharted journey! I started this back in the summer when a lot of stuff was going on in my life, and I'm doing it at the end of this shitty year for myself. Thank you so much for all your love, comments, and support! Here's to happy holidays and a better year! 
> 
> If y'all wanna give me a poke, you can find me on https://tietoons.tumblr.com/!

**Author's Note:**

> I discovered the Mafia boss au for Bendy recently, and I got inspired. Though I haven't done a 2nd POV in ages, and never a reader insert, but y'know what? Why not :3
> 
> Comments warm my soul, and spark my will to write more! :D


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